It was around a few days back that a new mutated strain of coronavirus was detected in the United Kingdom. As the new strain showed immense contraction capability, much of the world have cut travel ties with the UK, pulling the nation to a state of isolation.
Britain's request to France
In the meantime, British prime minister Boris Johnson has urged the French President Immanuel Macron to lift a ban on freight from the United Kingdom. Countries have decided to issue a travel ban from the UK after Johnson and his advisers revealed that the newly discovered mutant strain of coronavirus could be up to 70 more transmissible than the original COVID-19 virus that originated in Wuhan, China.
British authorities also claimed that the new coronavirus mutant strain was discovered in the country due to the efficiency of British scientists at genomic surveillance.
New coronavirus strain spreading like wildfire
According to the latest reports, the new mutated strain discovered in the UK has been confirmed in countries including Denmark, Italy, Gibraltar, the Netherlands, and Australia. Scientists believe that the new strain is 70 percent more infectious than the original strain due to its higher viral load. This new mutated strain is now present in all parts of the UK except in Northern Ireland.
Adding up to the already existing woes, a strain very similar to the mutated one has been discovered in South Africa. However, experts are not sure whether this strain is the same one traced in the UK.
It was on December 02 that England lifted its national lockdown. As the national lockdown was lifted, people have been able to travel internationally from the UK, which means the new COVID-19 strain is likely to have spread in various countries including India.
Worst fear coming true
As the new coronavirus mutated strain was detected in the United Kingdom, Professor Andrew Hayward of the government's New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) has called it 'the worst news we have had so far'.
"If the vaccine is the best news, this is the worst news we've had so far, and we really, really need to tighten down the hatches to stop the spread of this strain while vaccinating as many people as possible," said Hayward, Sky News reports.
Hayward also revealed that restrictions in the United Kingdom were ''less intense'', and people's response to these rules was ''less stringent',' and that it has resulted in the spread of this new strain.
