Covid -19: New variant B.1.1.529 is identified in Israel

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Israel’s health ministry announced on Friday (26) the detection of a case of the new Covid-19 variant discovered in South Africa and which scientists say is spreading rapidly.

“The variant discovered in the southern states of Africa has been identified in Israel. It is a person who came from Malawi,” said the ministry, which fears two other cases of people who arrived from abroad and are already confined.

All three people were already vaccinated against the coronavirus, the ministry said in a statement.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called an emergency meeting with health officials to examine the situation and the risks.

The Israeli government included South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) on its sanitary red list following the announcement of the discovery of the new variant.

The variant is identified as B.1.1.529 and appears to be very contagious, according to South African scientists. It is not known whether the vaccines now being applied are effective against the new strain.

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