Full list of countries with the SA variant – as UK identifies ’54 cases’

More than 50 people living in the UK have been infected with the SA variant of COVID-19. Data released by British scientists revealed that this mutation – which is driving the second wave in South Africa – has now embedded itself in the country, and Professor Salim Abdool Karim also confirmed this is considered a ‘deadlier’ strain.

How the SA variant has impacted the UK

The UK also has it’s own new form of COVID-19 – branded the ‘Kent variant’ – but this seems to be less transmissible than its South African counterpart. According the Covid-19 Genomics Consortium UK (COG-UK)…

• In total, 54 Brits have tested positive for the SA variant so far.
• Only 10% of random samples have been checked for this variant – meaning that ‘many more’ are likely to be infected with it.
• The first case was spotted in October 2020.
• This new form of the virus spreads ‘50% quicker’ than previous strands.
• The UK, however, has had a fantastic start to its vaccination programme. Four million people have been jabbed so far.

‘This is a deadlier mutation’

Professor Abdool Karim gave a public briefing on Monday night, giving an update on the current state of the virus spread in South Africa. Yesterday saw the lowest number of cases reported in a single day for over a month, providing hope that Mzansi is now turning a corner. However, the last thing we should be doing now is letting our guard down…

“This new variant’s ability to bind onto the human cells is more effective than the first and makes it more deadly. Mutations in the virus allow the virus to bind to cells more deeply and effectively, driving South Africa’s second wave.”

“We are now seeing more cases and deaths than we saw in the first wave. Earlier research shows that the new Covid-19 variant has 23 mutations and has since spread throughout our entire coastal region.”

“This virus is spreading about 50% faster, the current data suggests. The new variant is not more severe that natural antibodies are less effective but vaccine antibodies are different and they may or may not be impacted. I’ll wait for the data.”

Professor Salim Abdool Karim

Full list of all 23 countries with the SA variant

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Canada
• China
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Israel
• Japan
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• South Korea
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• United Kingdom
• Zambia

• All data correct as of Tuesday 19 January 2021