South Africa: UK travel ban ‘hastened’ over new mutation

South Africa’s foreign ministry says Britain’s decision to ban flights from South Africa over the discovery of a new strain of the Covid-19-causing coronavirus “appears to have been rushed” and even the World Health Organization has not advised so far on the next steps.

However, Singapore will also reduce arrivals from South Africa and neighboring countries in an effort to prevent the spread of the new strain, the health ministry said today.

According to the ministry, anyone who is not a Singaporean citizen or resident and has recently traveled to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe will not be able to enter or leave Singapore. go to another country through it.

Scientists have so far detected the B.1.1.529 variant in relatively small numbers in South Africa, Botswana and Hong Kong, but are concerned about the large number of mutations that could help it escape its immune response. body and make it more contagious.

Yesterday, Thursday, Britain temporarily banned flights from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini from today, following the announcement of the location of the variant.

“Our immediate concern is the damage this decision will do to both the tourism industry and businesses in both countries,” South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pantor said in a statement.

South Africa will contact the British authorities to try to get them to reconsider their decision, the statement added.

South Africa has called for an urgent meeting of the World Health Organization working group today to consider the new variant.

SOURCE: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ