China News Service, January 19th. According to Agence France-Presse, on the 18th local time, an African epidemiologist said that the mutant strain of the new coronavirus that was first discovered in South Africa is more infectious, but there is no evidence that the virus The strain is more deadly.
According to reports, experts analyzed and analyzed data on major cluster infection cases collected from various places, and concluded that the new coronavirus mutant virus first discovered in South Africa is more infectious than several previous strains.
Data map: Under the new crown epidemic, a social relief station in Johannesburg, South Africa, low-income people in South Africa receive government relief food.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Wang Xi
Salim Abdool Karim, a well-known epidemiologist in South Africa, said that the mutated new coronavirus 501.V2 discovered in South Africa spreads about 50% faster than previous viruses.
However, there is no evidence that the new mutant virus is more lethal.
The mutant virus is now the dominant strain of the new crown epidemic in South Africa.
According to reports, at present, the cumulative number of confirmed new crown patients in South Africa exceeds 1.3 million, and the death toll exceeds 37,000.
The country’s Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said on the 18th that compared with the previous week, the number of new coronavirus infections in South Africa has dropped by 23%, but the number of hospital admissions has increased by 18.3%.