The detection of a new coronavirus variant in southern African nations has set off alarm bells globally. The UK and many European Union nations have announced travel curbs, and scientists fear another Covid-19 wave in the region.

In a statement, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed to “activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region”.

WHAT IS THE NEW VARIANT AND WHERE WAS IT DETECTED?

The new coronavirus variant, B.1.1.529, was first detected in Botswana. The variant has spread to South Africa as well, and scientists believe it has a major role in the sudden spike in new Covid-19 infections in the country.

On Thursday, South Africa Health Minister Joe Phaahla confirmed that a new variant has been found in the country, and it is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people.

“Over the last four or five days, there has been more of an exponential rise,” Associated Press quoted Phaahla as saying.

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So far, South Africa has confirmed around 100 specimens as B.1.1.529, mainly in the small but densely populated province of Gauteng.

WHERE ELSE B.1.1.529 VARIANT CASES HAVE BEEN FOUND?

Besides Botswana and South Africa, samples of B.1.1.529 variant have also been confirmed in Hong Kong, Belgium and Israel.

While the case in Hong Kong was detected in a traveller from South Africa, the case in Israel was detected in a traveller from Malawi. The positive case in Belgium was detected in a foreign traveller who was reportedly unvaccinated.

WHY B.1.1.529 VARIANT IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN?

The B.1.1.529 variant of coronavirus has a “very unusual constellation” of new mutations. Due to this, scientists believe that it could evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible.

Tulio de Oliveira, the director of South Africa’s Centre for Epidemic Response and innovation, said the new variant has many more mutations, including more than 30 to the spike protein that affects transmissibility.

Scientists are also worried that given its mutation, the new variant might bypass the current vaccines against Covid-19. In Botswana, the new virus strain has reportedly been detected in fully vaccinated people.

HOW HAVE UK AND EU NATIONS REACTED TO B.1.1.529 VARIANT?

On Friday, the UK added six southern African countries — South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, and Eswatini — to its travel red list. Flights from these countries will be temporarily suspended from noon on Friday.

However, passengers arriving from these six countries to the UK on Friday will have to quarantine for 10 days in a government-approved hotel.

In a tweet, UK Secretary of State Health and Social Care Sajid Javid said, “SA is investigating a new variant. More data is needed, but we’re taking precautions now. From noon tomorrow (Friday), six African countries will be added to the red list, flights will be temporarily banned, and UK travellers must quarantine.”

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Besides the UK, some nations in the European Union have also banned flights from ‘at risk’ southern African countries. These include Germany, Italy, France, and Croatia. More countries are likely to adopt strict measures given the new variant.

Meanwhile, South Africa has called the UK’s ban on flights from six southern African countries ‘rushed’. In a statement, South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said he will speak to British authorities to try to get them to reconsider the ban.

“Our immediate concern is the damage that this decision will cause to both the tourism industries and businesses of both countries,” Reuters quoted Pandor as saying.

HOW ARE EUROPEAN MARKETS REACTING TO B.1.1.529 VARIANT?

The news of B.1.1.529 variant has spooked the European markets, as stocks are feared to register their worst session in more than a year.

The benchmark STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) was down 2.5 per cent on Friday, according to Reuters. It slid as much as 3.6 per cent in early trading, while the volatility gauge (.V2TX) for the main stock market hit its highest in nearly 10 months.

France’s CAC 40 (.FCHI) shed 3.3 per cent, while UK’s FTSE 100 (.FTSE) dropped 2.6 per cent. Germany’s DAX (.GDAXI) fell 2.7 per cent and Spain’s IBEX (.IBEX) lost 3.4 per cent, Reuters reported.

WHAT ABOUT INDIA?

While India has yet to decide on travel restrictions, the Union Health Ministry has issued an alert to all states and Union Territories.

The health ministry has asked the states that given relaxed visa restrictions and opening up of international travel, the new variant can have “serious public health implications for the country”.

The health ministry has said that all international travellers entering India from “at-risk” countries must be subjected to rigorous screening and testing.

WHAT NEXT

A WHO working group on virus evolution will meet on Friday to decide on the label for the new variant. So far, only four variants have been designated as variants of concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“In the meeting, the experts will discuss if this variant should be designated as a variant of interest or variant of concern, and if that’s the case, then we will give it a name from the Greek alphabet,” WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said in a video posted on Twitter.

Kerkhove added that it could take a few weeks to understand the impact of the variant’s mutations.

So far, the WHO has designated four variants of coronavirus as ‘variants of concern’ – Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1) and Delta (B.1.617.2).

(With inputs from Reuters, Associated Press)

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