This week, the UK government alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) to the discovery of a new strain of coronavirus .
This seems to be accelerating the expansion of COVID-19 in England, since it represents about 60% of the cases detected in London in recent weeks.
The newly detected variant is called ‘VUI 202012/01’ , a name derived from “Variant Under Investigation” and comprises several mutations. According to the first evaluations, it has a higher level of contagion.
Yesterday, Saturday, the WHO confirmed with a message on Twitter that it is in “close contact” with the UK health authorities. The agency indicated that it will inform the member states and the public “as we learn more about the characteristics of this variant of the virus and any implications .”
We’re in close contact with UK 🇬🇧 officials on the new #COVID19 virus variant. They’ll continue to share info & results of their analysis & ongoing studies. We’ll update Member States & public as we learn more about the characteristics of this virus variant & any implications.
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) December 19, 2020
British Health Minister Matt Hancock said in an interview with the British network Sky News that the situation is “extremely serious” , and that the discovered variant of coronavirus is circulating “out of control” . For this reason, the Government has had to act “quickly and decisively” , in reference to the confinement imposed in much of the country.
London and the southeast of Great Britain woke up this Sunday at the so-called Level 4. This means the effective closure of the affected areas, forces residents to stay in their homes with limited exceptions, closes leisure facilities and non-essential services, and it imposes work from home except in unappealable circumstances, according to the prime minister.
“Everyone, particularly those who live in designated Level 4 regions, should behave as if they have the virus. That is the only way to regain control ” , added the minister.
