On Thursday night, a NSW Health lab detected the B1.351 variant in PCR samples from the four family members who had recently flown in from South Africa.
Further testing is underway to confirm the cases, but as a precaution all 16 passengers who shared their flight from South Africa to Sydney have been moved to Special Health Accommodation, where all COVID-positive travellers are quarantined. There are concerns that this South African strain does share a similar mutation from the UK that may be associated with increased transmissibility. That is why we are taking a very cautious approach there, Dr Chant said.
Australia is on edge as new mutant super-strains of highly infectious coronavirus threaten to wreak havoc across the country.
A family of four that flew in to New South Wales from South Africa have tested positive for the highly infectious coronavirus super-strain.
On Thursday night, NSW Health detected the South African variant in PCR samples from the family, who are in hotel quarantine.
The discovery has alarmed NSW Health authorities, as the South African strain has independently mutated the exact same genomic variant as the United Kingdom super-strain - making both strains nearly 50 per cent more transmissible than the original virus.
by Evin Priest 9th Jan 2021 7:36 AM A family-of-four in NSW hotel quarantine have tested positive to the worrying South African mutation of COVID-19, NSW Health has revealed. Like the UK strain, which is believed to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than earlier version of the virus, the South African strain is passed on at an alarming rate. Since November 30 NSW has also detected six cases of the UK strain of coronavirus. Dr Kerry Chant has confirmed the South Africa strain of COVID-19 has been detected in returned travellers in Special Health Accommodation in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard