WHO Europe to convene members over new virus variant Dozens of countries from India to Argentina have banned flights from Britain in fear of the new virus variant, which is reportedly 70% more contagious. Picture: 123rf.com
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COPENHAGEN - The World Health Organization in Europe said Tuesday it would convene its members to discuss how to handle a new variant of the novel coronavirus discovered in the UK.
Hans Kluge, WHO s regional director for Europe said on Twitter that the organisation was closely monitoring the spread of the new variant and would convene member states to discuss strategies for testing, reducing transmission & communicating risks, without specifying a timeframe.
New Covid strain: WHO to discuss tackling virus variant on Wednesday
AFP/Copenhagen, Denmark
The story of the new variant shows how important genome sequencing is.
(AFP)
The meeting will take place at 1pm UAE time.
The World Health Organization in Europe said Tuesday it would convene its members to discuss how to handle a new variant of the novel coronavirus discovered in the UK.
Hans Kluge, WHO s regional director for Europe said on Twitter that the organisation was closely monitoring the spread of the new variant and would convene member states to discuss strategies for testing, reducing transmission & communicating risks.
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Andrew Brookes
The European Commission on Tuesday urged EU nations to lift travel bans imposed on Britain to halt the spread of a coronavirus variant that has swept the UK and spurred global panic just as vaccines are being rolled out worldwide.
The new strain of the virus, which has also been detected in small numbers elsewhere, appears to spread more easily than other types but there is no evidence it is more lethal or resistant to vaccines, according to experts.
Its discovery has nevertheless heightened fears that led more than two dozen countries around the world to suspend flights from the UK out of precaution.
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In this file photo taken on June 8, 2020 British Airways passenger planes are pictured at the apron at London Heathrow Airport in west London. Adrian DENNIS / AFP
The European Commission on Tuesday urged EU nations to lift travel bans imposed on Britain to halt the spread of a coronavirus variant that has swept the UK and spurred global panic just as vaccines are being rolled out.
The new strain of the virus, which has also been detected in small numbers elsewhere, appears to spread more easily than other types but experts say there is no evidence it is more lethal or resistant to vaccines.
WHO said the organisation was closely monitoring the spread of the new variant.
Copenhagen, Denmark:
The World Health Organization in Europe said Tuesday it would convene its members to discuss how to handle the outbreak of a new variant of the novel coronavirus discovered in the UK.
Hans Kluge, WHO s regional director for Europe said in a post to Twitter that the organisation was closely monitoring the spread of the new variant and would in response convene member states to discuss strategies for testing, reducing transmission & communicating risks.
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Kluge added that limiting travel to contain spread is prudent until we have better info.