The Ministry of Health updates this morning (Friday) that the new variant of the corona virus that was discovered in South African countries has been identified in Israel. It was also reported that this is currently a circular that returned from Malawi and in addition there is a suspicion of two more cases of returnees from abroad waiting for the results of their flooring and they were sent for isolation.
Another case of the new variant was discovered in the body of a foreign worker, who was traveling by bus from the center to Eilat, where she works in a hotel. When an ambulance was sent to pick her up, she escaped and was later apprehended by police. The Ministry of Health also stated that the investigation is in the middle of further contacts, and promise to monitor the situation and update the public on developments.
Last night, (Thursday) Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accepted the guidelines of the health system and decided to define the countries of South Africa as red. Bennett also instructed to examine the immediate halting of flights from these countries to Israel and from Israel to them, or the application of another outline to prevent the spread of the strain in Israel. On the new corona strain, B.1.1529, scientists say there are at least ten mutations some of which are unfamiliar to them.
The virologist and virology expert, Dr. Oren Kuibler, from Tel Aviv University, explains that this is a variant with “disturbing characteristics of the number of mutations and its rate of increase. Therefore, it was right to stop the flights but unfortunately it was not done early enough and the variant is already here. However, we still do not know too much about him, so we must be careful in our response. ”
Bennett: “The new variant is very contagious, at a much faster rate than the Delta”
The Prime Minister held a discussion on the matter with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and other professionals. “The new variant is highly contagious, at a much faster rate than the Delta,” he said. Really breaks out immunity, at what rate, whether it is more deadly or not, how it affects children, and so on.
“Our overriding principle at the moment is to act quickly, strongly and now. Especially when it comes to entering and leaving Israel, until the situation becomes clear. When it becomes clear, we will decide what we do.” He added that the State of Israel is currently in the midst of a state of emergency, and has asked for full preparation and mobilization for work around the clock.
(The Prime Minister took his son David for a first vaccination)