The GGD is still investigating and was unable to provide further information about how the patient became infected. The fact that multiple infections of the new variant would be found was ‘in line with expectations’.
Amsterdam
On Tuesday it was announced that two people from the Amsterdam region had contracted the new corona variant. The infections were from the first half of December and have nothing to do with each other. Source and contact research into these two Dutch people showed that there is no connection whatsoever with the United Kingdom.
The mutation of the virus is currently circulating in the United Kingdom and does not seem more dangerous, but a lot more contagious. A new variant of the corona virus is also circulating in South Africa, showing similarities with the ‘British mutation’.
Usual advice
Regardless of the variant of the virus, the usual agreements for home isolation of the infected person and his or her close contacts apply. RIVM carries out a random sample every week and in this way keeps an eye on the distribution of the new variant. Marc Kaptein, medical director of Pfizer Netherlands, said this week that he was almost certain that the corona vaccine will also work against the mutated virus.
New variant in the world: also France, Ireland
The new mutation is also advancing elsewhere in the world. France reports late Friday that the mutation has surfaced in the country. Earlier in the day, Ireland announced that the mutated virus was also found there. In Europe it had previously been found in the Netherlands and Germany.
Japan and Lebanon also now have a case of the new corona mutant within the country’s borders
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