‘New coronavirus variant not detected in Pakistan yet’

All passengers arriving from UK are being monitored, says the Ministry of National Health Services

The Ministry of National Health Services on Friday clarified that the new variant of coronavirus surfaced in the United Kingdom was yet to be detected in Pakistan.

"Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination remains vigilant about the emergence of new variant of SARS CoV-2 detected in the UK," a press release said.

The ministry said that the situation in Pakistan was being closely monitored as all the passengers arriving from UK were screened.

"As of today, no such variant of the SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in Pakistan," it said in a statement issued on Twitter. "The National Institute of Health is sensitive and on alert regarding this new strain for timely detection and addressal," it added.

Important Announcement Regarding The New Variant of SARS-CoV-2 pic.twitter.com/bQBLp9RGR4

— Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan (@nhsrcofficial) December 25, 2020

 

The national tally of total active Covid-19 cases in Pakistan on Friday reached 38,511 with 2,152 more people testing positive for the deadly virus and 1,824 people recovering from coronavirus during last 24 hours.

85 coronavirus patients, 77 of whom were under treatment in hospital and eight in their homes or quarantines died on Thursday, according to the latest update issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC).

A highly infectious new coronavirus variant in Britain has prompted many countries including Pakistan to shut their borders to travellers from there.

The strain, referred to by some experts as the B.1.1.7 lineage, is not the first new variant of the pandemic virus to emerge, but is said to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the United Kingdom.

While it was first seen in Britain in September, by the week of December 9 in London, 62% of Covid-19 cases were due to the new variant. That compared to 28% of cases three weeks earlier.

The governments of Australia, South Africa, Italy and the Netherlands say they detected cases of the new strain.

Several countries have also banned flights from South Africa after the sudden rise in cases linked to the new variant.