S Africa detects 4 cases of COVID variant found in India

Johannesburg, May 9 (AP) South African Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has said that four cases of Indian variant of coronavirus have been detected in country, but re was cause for panic as all such cases were quarantined.

" four cases of B.1.617.2 (Indian variant of coronavirus) have been detected in Gauteng (2) and KwaZulu-Natal (2) and all have a history of recent arrival from India. All cases have been isolated and mand according to national COVID-19 case manment guidelines and contact tracing has been performed in order to limit spre of this variant," Mkhize said in a statement on Saturday.

minister's statement was released amid growing concerns in last fortnight about Indian variant spreing after crew of two ships travelling between two countries tested positive for virus.

"We reiterate that re is need for panic, as fundamentals of public health response (testing, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine) have t changed," Mkhize said.

"It is important to emphasise that variants can develop at any time in any country so y do t have to be imported. world is still grappling with coronavirus pandemic, with surges in one territory bound to spill over into or territories.

"We are all deeply concerned about threat of 'variants of concern' and se reports demonstrate that issue is complicated," minister said.

Mkhize said travel restrictions will need to be balanced against scientific realities in order to protect ecomy.

"se findings are urgently being processed by government and anuncements pertaining to travel regulations will be me after all appropriate consultations have been undertaken by Cabinet," he said.

Mkhize did t specify if any of four Indian variant cases were among crew of ships which recently returned from India.

One of ships has been docked in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal. or ship has been docked in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), where police are investigating possible charges against Ship Captain for falsely declaring that re were ill crew onboard.

Eleven cases of B.1.1.7 variant, first detected in UK, have also been identified in South Africa.

" B.1.1.7 (strain) has been detected in community samples and this refore suggests that community transmission of B.1.1.7 has alrey set in," Mkhize said.

"As epidemic progresses, detection of new variants is inevitable. work of gemic surveillance assists us to detect variants and understand ir behaviour and to refine vaccines so y remain effective," he said.

B.1.351 strain, which was first detected in South Africa, has been found in a traveller from Banglesh.

"re are a number of or samples from cases with a history of recent travel into South Africa that are currently being sequenced and results are expected over next few days," Mkhize concluded.

coronavirus has so far killed 54,687 people in South Africa, along with over 1.59 million confirmed cases, according to John Hopkins University.

Indian variant is believed to be largely behind current surge in infections in India, which is experience a dely second wave of pandemic. PTI FH IND