When the world is worried about the news of a mutant Coronavirus strain with over 70% transmission capability being detected in London, a much powerful variant has been spotted in South Africa. This virulent SARS-COV-2 Virus has been named as 501.V2. According to scientists, the new genetic mutation of the Covid Virus was responsible for the surge in cases in the African continent. Zweli Mkhize, the Health Minister of South Africa took to Twitter to inform about the new variant. Earlier, two cases linked to the South African strain were reported in the UK after two people came in contact with travellers from the world’s second-largest continent.
According to the South African Health Minister, the new strain is capable of infecting younger people with no history of co-morbidities and that routine monitoring led to the discovery of the virulent strain by one of the laboratories. The virus which was earlier only confined to the coastal regions of Africa is believed to have entered into the inland. All flights from South Africa have been stopped on an emergency basis to curb the spread of this new 501.V2 variant.
