Britain on Thursday said it would ban travel from six southern African countries, after South Africa detected a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations.
"The early indication we have of this variant is it may be more transmissible than the Delta variant and the vaccines that we currently have may be less effective against it," Health Secretary Sajid Javid said.

Javid said the new variant, which South Africa attributed to a surge in cases and had also been detected in travellers from the country in Botswana and Hong Kong, had not been found so far in Britain.

But he said British scientists were "deeply concerned" and as a precaution a decision had been to suspend all flights from South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Botswana from 1200 GMT on Friday.

"We will be requiring anyone that arrives from those countries from 4:00 am on Sunday to quarantine in hotels," he added.

"If anyone arrives before then they should self-isolate at home and take a PCR test on day two and day eight.

"And if anyone has arrived from any of those countries over the last 10 days, we would ask them to take PCR tests."

Britain has been among the hardest hit by Covid-19, with some 144,000 deaths since the start of the outbreak early last year.

Positive cases remain stubbornly high -- more than 47,000 were recorded in a 24-hour period to Thursday -- but more than 80 per cent of people aged 12 and over have been double-jabbed with a vaccine.

Nearly 29 per cent have received a third booster dose, as part of a government drive to ease pressure on hard-pressed health services during the winter months, when other seasonal respiratory infections are high.

Britain's government was widely criticised for its travel and quarantine policy earlier in the pandemic, when it kept its borders open to foreign travellers even as infection rates spiralled.

BRATISLAVA:
Why are they the only ones with a constantly mutating variant?

Is there something about the people there that we don't know? It would be interesting to see their covid infection rates to see how true this news is.

Ammishaddai:
These covid peddlers have gone to work on their virus to exterminate the black race . The first wave didn't make the impact they had calculated, so they've gone back to the drawing board to reshuffle its genetic code and drop it on our continent again . But the God that stopped that first wave from destroying us will surely make this new one go back to the senders

Ammishaddai:
These covid peddlers have gone to work on their virus to exterminate the black race . The first wave didn't make the impact they had calculated, so they've gone back to the drawing board to reshuffle its genetic code and drop it on our continent again . But the God that stopped that first wave from destroying us will surely make this new one go back to the senders

Righteousness2:
Open your eyes, the last days Deceptions are so real.
Satan did not tell Eve, the full consequences of what will happen to her if she ate the forbidden fruit. He told her half truth that made her Believe it will be a good thing. He is a master at Deceptions.

Whoever values his/soul in Eternity must be aware that we are living in a time of Great Delusion and Deceptions & Should avoid taking anything, that you may have to have, in order to buy or sell or do this and that. Many will take the MOB without knowing.


Sorcerers/ Sorcery in Greek means "Pharmakeia" or pharmacy.
Pharmakeia is the use of medicine, drugs, spells, poison, etc.
Let the wise decode.

Righteousness2:
Open your eyes, the last days Deceptions are so real.
Satan did not tell Eve, the full consequences of what. . . . . .

BRATISLAVA:
Why are they the only ones with a constantly mutating variant?

Is there something about the people there that we don't know? It would be interesting to see their covid infection rates to see how true this news is.

Ammishaddai:
These covid peddlers have gone to work on their virus to exterminate the black race . The first wave didn't make the impact they had calculated, so they've gone back to the drawing board to reshuffle its genetic code and drop it on our continent again . But the God that stopped that first wave from destroying us will surely make this new one go back to the senders

bjtinz:


Moderators please you need to take more decisive actions against peddlers like these. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and likes deletes and bans such posts immediately because they are dangerous.

As a result of their reckless actions and utterances, many have died and may still die.

8. Don't post false information on Nairaland.

TMKsouth:


SA is good at tracking covid mutations (sequencing) and is transparent with the results. Unfortunately, the world is punishing the country for it and it's crippling the economy.

I seriously don't know why the country has been the most affected in Africa, but 19 million tests have been conducted so that could be the reason.

Total number of cases is now 2.95 million and they are on the rise again, having recorded 2400+ on Thursday - believed to be evidence the country is headed towards the 4th wave. The highest daily record was in July at over 24,000 cases.

Total deaths close to 90,000.