Israel bars Brits from entering after new ‘fast spreading’ Covid strain discovered

Israel barred foreign nationals from the UK, Denmark and South Africa after a new “fast spreading” strain of COVID-19 was discovered, i24 News reported.

The UK’s Chief Medical Adviser Chris Whitty revealed on Saturday that a new virulent, faster-spreading strain of the deadly virus was found, and confirmed that urgent research is being done to see if the latest mutation causes a higher mortality rate.

He said: “As announced on Monday, the UK has identified a new variant of COVID-19 through Public Health England’s genomic surveillance.”

“As a result of the rapid spread of the new variant, preliminary modeling data, and rapidly rising incidence rates in the South East, the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) now consider that the new strain can spread more quickly.”

While the strain is more infectious, scientists say it is not known to be more lethal or resistant to vaccines.

READ: ‘Pandemic raised economic burden on migrants, refugees’

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We need to close the whole world immediately – just let business people fly according to protocol, and limit those returning to a tight quarantine. It’s an extreme step, but if there is a result – it will be difficult.”

Head of Public Health Services Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis said: “We are already working to stop flights to Israel from countries to which the British coronavirus mutation has arrived.”

Israeli citizens returning from Denmark, the UK or South Africa will now have to stay in quarantine in special “coronavirus hotels” upon their return.

UK citizens have been banned from entering the Netherlands, Belgium, and recently Italy over the new strain of the virus.

READ: Palestine, Lebanon added to IRC’s 2021 emergency watchlist