New Covid variant puts SA on the red list

SA detects new strain

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed on November 25 that a new Covid-19 variant has been detected in South Africa.

“Through collaborative efforts with private laboratories and the Network for Genome Surveillance South Africa members, a new Covid-19 variant, B.1.1.529, has been detected in South Africa,” a media statement by the NICD read.

The institute said that 22 positive cases of variant B.1.1.529 were recorded nationally. During a media briefing on the new variant, NICD Professor Anne von Gottberg said the variant was detected in Tshwane and other regions in Gauteng.

The new variant may be more transmissible and vaccines may be less effective against it, due to its high number of mutations – almost 100 different mutations have been confirmed.

Seven-day moving average number of new cases by provinces

The proportion of positive new cases/total new tested today (November 26) is 6.5%, which is higher than yesterday (3.6%). The seven-day average is 3.4% today, which is higher than yesterday (2.7%).

On Thursday (November 25), the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that, “We do not know very much about this yet. What we do know is that this variant has a large number of mutations.”

Therefore, WHO experts urge citizens to protect themselves to bring the rate of transmission down while scientists learn more about this variant.

Dr @mvankerkhove gives an update on #COVID19 virus variant B.1.1.529, during the #AskWHO session on 25 November 2021 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ZpflfEYzW9

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 25, 2021

Currently called the ‘B.1.1.529’, the variant is likely to be given a Greek name, as was the case with the Beta and Delta variants. The WHO is responsible for the naming process.

Multiple countries enforce travel ban on Southern African countries

In light of this new discovery, many countries are imposing travel bans to Southern African countries, with immediate effect.

As of today, the UK has temporarily banned flights from six countries (South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini), as well as adding them to the travel red list, which means any travellers to the country would need to quarantine for 10 days. Flights are expected to resume on Monday, November 29.

Meanwhile, other countries have also taken steps to halt travelling South Africans. Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan, and Singapore are among the current countries that have implemented travel bans to southern Africa.

The European Union (EU) has also expressed its wishes to stop all travel from Southern Africa.

“The last thing we need is to bring in a new variant that will cause even more problems,” said German Health Minister Jens Spahn.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that she ‘proposes, in close co-ordination with the member states, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region’.

The @EU_Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 26, 2021

Europe back in lockdown

Several countries in the EU have implemented another bout of hard lockdowns in a bid to curb surging Covid-19 infections.

Germany has seen new record daily case numbers in recent days and passed the mark of 100 000 deaths from Covid-19 on Thursday.

Austria has implemented a full lockdown as it grapples new infections. This is also the first Western democratic country to make vaccinations mandatory, starting in February.

Stocks tumble over variant fears

Stock prices, Treasury yields and oil took a tumble this morning as a result of the news of the new variant.

The dollar was at a 16-month high, while South Africa’s rand weakened and commodity currencies retreated. Crude shed 3% and gold rose.

What’s more, owing to the Thanksgiving holiday taking place in the US, trading is further down, with a thinner market and less buyers.

For more on the B.1.1.529 variant, visit the official NICD website by clicking here.

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