COVID-19: CDC detects new variant in a traveler

A new COVID-19 variant has been detected in a traveler, travelling from Tanzania to Angola.

The Director of Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC), John Nkengasong stated in a news conference on Thursday that it was certainly a variant of concern which had about 40 mutations.

The variant may be impossible to trail as Tanzania reveals that there is no data about COVID-19 figures.

According to Nkengasong, it was difficult to know whether current vaccines would help fight off the new virus mutation with little evidence to go on.

 “We don’t know yet if you bring it in contact with neutralising antibodies if that actually translates into activities in knocking it out,’’ he said.

The continent is heading for a third wave of COVID-19, along with many other countries.

The coronavirus variant first detected in Britain and the one detected in South Africa, have both been recorded in 18 countries across the African continent.

Nkengasong welcomed the fact that one of the vaccine makers, Johnson & Johnson, has agreed to start producing its vaccine in South Africa.

The firm had agreed to supply 220 million doses, with an option for 180 million more, the vast majority of which would be made in South Africa.

Kamila/Vanguard