New coronavirus variant causes worry across the globe
The discovery of a new coronavirus variant, which prompted many European countries to ban travel to and from South Africa just before its summer holiday season, threatens to disrupt the country’s recovery from its severe economic slump in nearly three decades.
“This will be a big setback for South Africa’s already vulnerable tourist sector, which was expecting a flood of overseas visitors equipped with hard money during the festive season,” said Siobhan Redford, an economist with FirstRand Group Ltd.’s Rand Merchant bank.
A frightening new strain of the coronavirus has sounded the alarm around the world, prompting countries to boost up anti-virus efforts, including travel restrictions against South Africa and six other African countries.
The new strain, known as B.1.1.529, is causing concern among scientists due to a “large number of changes” in its spike protein, which is critical for the virus’s entry into cells. The discovery of the variation, which was first discovered by scientists in South Africa, has already rattled global stock markets, as investors worry about the impact of further travel prohibitions on already fragile economies around the world.
India announces new guidelines
On Friday, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare added Hong Kong and Israel to the list of nations from which visitors to India must follow additional procedures, including post-arrival testing.
The government had previously requested that all states and UTs conduct thorough screening and testing of all overseas travellers arriving in or transiting via South Africa and Botswana, where the novel Covid-19 strain had been identified to have major public health ramifications.
Meanwhile, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) said the new variant is being closely monitored and has yet to be discovered in India.
Following the discovery of a new type of coronavirus, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated on Friday that he has asked specialists to recommend next steps, and that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government will take all necessary precautions to protect the Capital’s people.