싱가포르서 '영국발 변종 코로나19' 감염 첫 확인
Singapore has detected a case of the new, more contagious Covid-19 strain that first emerged in the UK and is now leading to tougher restrictions in many parts of the world.
Yet another variant has been found... in the UK and Malaysia.
Jang Tae-hyun reports.
Britain has been fighting the spread of a more transmissible variant of the novel coronavirus,... and now Singapore reported its first case.
According to Singapore's health ministry on Wednesday, the virus was found in a student who returned from the UK in early December.
She was put in isolation at a dedicated facility upon arrival, and so her case led to no further transmission.
From Wednesday, Singapore banned all arrivals from the UK, including short-term visitors who've been to the country within the last two weeks, and that includes transit passengers.
In the meantime, Britain has detected yet another variant of COVID-19 in two people arrived recently from South Africa.
"This new variant is highly concerning because it is yet more transmissible and it appears to have mutated further than the new variant that has been discovered in the UK."
In response to rising concerns,... the UK health minister said those who've been to South Africa in the past two weeks must go into self-quarantine and that UK will impose travel restrictions on South Africa.
Scientists are still trying to figure out the threat posed by the South African variant and whether it will require a different treatment.
In the meantime, Malaysia has detected a mutation in samples taken from COVID-19 patients in Sabah.
Similar mutations have been found in other countries, but it's unknown if it's more contagious or aggressive.
Malaysia's health ministry will keep an eye on the virus mutations and their impact as it gauges the effectiveness of vaccines.
Jang Tae-hyun, Arirang News.
