Iran Reports 1st Case of New Strain of Coronavirus
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran joined a growing number of countries on Tuesday to confirm a case of the newest variant of the coronavirus, first reported in the UK.
Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki on Tuesday confirmed the presence of a new strain of the coronavirus in Iran that is believed to be at least 50 percent more contagious.
The new variant of the coronavirus has spread to Iran after an Iranian passenger arrived in the country from the UK, the minister noted, saying the patient has been admitted to a private hospital.
Namaki said the carrier of the new strain of coronavirus is in good health, adding that the passenger had been in isolation despite testing negative upon arrival in Iran.
The new strain of COVID has not been detected in any of the people in contact with the patient, the health minister added.
On December 26, 2020, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani ordered the authorities to step up their vigilance to keep the county away from a new strain of the coronavirus.
Pointing to the suspension of UK flights in many countries, Rouhani stressed the need for vigilance at the airports of entry to prevent a new wave of pandemic caused by the new variant.
The new strain was first detected in the UK in September and later caused the country to go into a strict lockdown over the holidays, with other countries putting stronger entry requirements in place for travelers arriving from the UK. The variant has also appeared in other countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Spain and Japan.
There's no evidence the variant is any deadlier than previously known strains of the coronavirus or that it makes people sicker. But a study released last month by a team of UK scientists estimated that it's 56% more transmissible. The British government had earlier said the variant might be up to 70% more contagious.