A new type of coronavirus has been identified in the UK that is spreading faster than COVID-19. This is stated by The Guardian with reference to the head of the Ministry of Health Matt Hancock. The minister stressed that more than a thousand infections with this type of virus have been recorded in the country.
“We have identified a new type of coronavirus. This may explain the rapid spread of [the virus] in the south east of England. We have now identified over a thousand cases of this species, mainly in the south of England,”Hancock said.
The head of the Ministry of Health noted that the UK has transferred data on a new type of coronavirus to the World Health Organization (WHO). “Similar variants of the virus have been found in other countries in recent months,” Hancock said.
He stressed that "so far nothing indicates that this new variant is more likely to cause severe forms of the disease." In addition, it is considered: the likelihood that vaccination will not protect against this species is extremely low.
In the UK, since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 1.8 million cases of COVID-19 infection have been recorded, over 64 thousand citizens have died. In this regard, the country is tightening restrictions to combat the pandemic. For example, in London and some regions in the southeast of the country, bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants will be closed from December 16. Now they will only work to take out and deliver food to your home.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the number of cases of coronavirus infection in the world as of December 14 reached 72,266,665. 1,612,611 people became victims of the infection. The USA is the leader in the number of detected cases of COVID-19 - 16,256,754 cases and 299,177 deaths. In second place is India (9 884 100 and 143 355), in third place is Brazil (6 901 952 and 181 402).]>
