The first positive tests are to be checked this week – 1,000 pieces, mostly from the border area with the Netherlands, where the British Corona variant is said to have spread further. The state is making 200,000 euros available for this.
Further virus mutations are being checked
In addition, it is checked whether there are other virus variants in addition to the known ones. So far, it is largely unclear how far virus mutations can be in NRW and had also spread in the rest of Germany, said the State Ministry of Health on Wednesday morning. The new variants could promote a faster spread of the virus due to their higher infection rate.
The study is to be led by Alexander Mellmann from the Institute for Hygiene at Münster University Hospital. Support comes from other researchers at the University Clinic in Düsseldorf. Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) said he was happy “about this short-term collaboration between university medicine in cooperation with some large laboratories. “You can fall back on existing structures.
Fourteen known infections
The coronavirus mutation, which probably comes from Great Britain, is said to be more contagious than the type that has been widespread up to now. This should also apply to a variant probably coming from South Africa. Both mutations have already been proven in NRW. According to the Ministry of Health, there have been eleven proven cases with the UK virus sequence, three from South Africa. Further suspected cases are due to specific PCR– Investigations are pending and are currently being examined.
Stand: 27.01.2021, 14:52
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