The first infection case involving the new Covid-19 variant has been confirmed in Latvia, as reported by LTV programme Panorāma.
Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre’s Scientific Council chairman Jānis Kloviņš told the programme that the new Covid-19 variant previously found in Britain has been found for a single person in Latvia.
The Disease Prevention and Monitoring Service (SPKC) had previously stressed that the new Covid-19 variant, discovered in Britain, is not more severe than the existing variant,
the difference is that the new variant has a higher contagion rate. This means the new Covid-19 variant is not more dangerous than the existing one.
Considering the news of the new Covid-19 variant, Latvia, similarly to other EU member states, had shut down passenger services to and from Britain between 21 December and 1 January. To reduce the risk of the new variant spreading, all people returning from the UK and South African Republic have a duty to undergo ten-day self-isolation and perform a Covid-19 test upon arrival and at the end of the self-isolation period.
SPKC had previously reported that isolated case involving Covid-19 mutations were found in Denmark, Netherlands, Iceland and Australia.
It is proved that the new variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 formed as a result of several mutations, as previously reported by SPKC representative Ilze Arāja. Results of multiple studies show that this new variant of coronavirus is more contagious – up to 70% when compared to the currently circulating virus.