Israel, Turkey, Germany, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland have all barred air travel to and from South Africa, following the discovery of a new variant of the coronavirus.
The countries disclosed on Monday that the flights had to be barred to avoid further spread of the virus, according to NAN.
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The Federal Council of Switzerland stated,
- “Following the discovery of a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus in the UK and South Africa, the Federal Council today decided to take steps to prevent the further spread of this new virus strain. All persons who have entered Switzerland from these two countries since December 14 must go into quarantine for 10 days.”
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Will Nigeria be barred by these nations?
Nairametrics had reported that the recent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases is alarming and the need for immediate action to curb the spread before it escalates into restrictions by other nations.
- So far in December, the average monthly cases jumped by 224.6% from an average of 157 cases recorded in November to stand at 509 cases in December; compared to an average of 129 cases recorded in October, it has grown by over 294% in December.
- Nairametrics reported in October that the spike in new cases suggested a looming second wave of the pandemic. However, it is clear that Nigeria has slipped into the second wave of the pandemic.
- In the past 17 days, Nigeria has recorded 8,652 new cases of the disease, which is 84% higher than the total 4,704 cases recorded in the month of November.
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What you should know
- Last week, scientists in South Africa confirmed that the new variant could affect more people compared to the initial surge.
- In over two months, the scientist established that 501.V2 variant has between 10 and 20 new mutations. “While it is still unclear whether it is more deadly, it appears to be spreading faster and parts of the Eastern and Western Cape provinces are facing strict lockdown restrictions,” they stated.
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