The Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a statement confirming that Ghana is now part of countries where the new variant of the Covid-19 has hit.
According to them, the new variant is “more transmissible than previously circulating variants, with high viral shedding.”
They explained that three new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been identified across the world; 501Y/VUI – 202012/01 in the United Kingdom, 501Y.V2 in South Africa and 501Y.V3 in Brazil.
The statement disclosed that the 501Y.V2 variant which was first discovered in South Africa, is currently spreading in 22 countries across the world including Ghana.
Other countries in Africa that have confirmed infections from the new South Africa variant are Botswana and Zambia.
“Preliminary findings show that three new similar but distinct Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, the 501Y/VUI – 202012/01, 501Y.V2, 501Y.V3, reported in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, respectively, are significantly more transmissible than previously circulating variants, with high viral shedding observed among cases. There is currently limited data on the extent to which these new variants have spread in Africa, but preliminary data show that the 501Y.V2 variant has been reported in 22 countries globally including South Africa, Ghana, Botswana and Zambia,” the CDC’s statement said
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
