Sars-CoV-2 virus mutates dangerously, many European countries urgently close borders with the UK
(Baonghean.vn) - A series of European countries such as France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and the Republic of Ireland on December 20 ordered a ban on flights and trains from the UK after information about the mutated strain of the Sars-CoV-2 virus in the UK was spreading out of control.
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The emergency response from European countries came after the British Prime Minister on the evening of December 19 ordered a re-lockdown of the capital London and the Southeast of the country, with a population of up to 48 million people, due to concerns about a serious outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic related to a new strain of the Sars-CoV-2 virus.
According to the British Prime Minister, the new strain of the Sars-CoV-2 virus is up to 70% more infectious than the old strain, although the rate of causing serious complications or the mortality rate of this strain may not change.
Following the announcement from the British Prime Minister, the Dutch government decided to ban all flights from the UK from 6am on December 20 until January 1, 2021. The matter became more serious when speaking on December 20 on BBC, British Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted that the new strain of the Sars-CoV-2 virus in the UK was out of control.
“The virus is out of control and the UK needs to get it back under control. This news is a very difficult end to what has been a very bad year. It is therefore important that everyone acts as if they have the virus,” said Mr Hancock.
Shortly after the UK Health Secretary's admission, a number of other European countries followed suit. Belgium announced it would suspend the Eurostar rail service and ban all flights and ferries from the UK from midnight on December 20. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said the bans would last at least 24 hours, pending a common solution from the European Commission.
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At the same time, Italy, Spain, Germany, and the Republic of Ireland also issued similar bans. On the afternoon of December 20, the heads of Germany and France, along with the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission, had an urgent phone call to agree on a common action plan for all 27 EU countries. However, in the announcement issued on the evening of December 20, the European Commission has not yet clarified whether the upcoming measures are recommended to apply to all EU countries.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that European countries need to redouble their efforts to control the current situation. According to WHO, the risk of the new virus strain spreading in Europe comes not only from the UK but also from other countries because up to now, WHO has recorded at least 9 cases of Covid-19 infection in Denmark, 1 case in the Netherlands and 1 case in Austria from the new strain of the Sars-CoV-2 virus. In the UK, according to the figures given by the British Prime Minister, there have been at least 1,000 patients in the UK infected with the new strain of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, mainly in the capital London and the Southeast of this country.