Vietnam reports first case of new coronavirus variant
People gather on a street during New Year's Day celebrations amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hanoi, Jan. 1, 2021. Reuters
Vietnam has detected its first imported case of the new coronavirus variant that is spreading rapidly around Britain and Europe, the country's health ministry said Saturday.
The variant was detected in a 44-year-old woman returning to Vietnam from Britain, who was quarantined upon arrival and was confirmed positive for the virus Dec. 24, the ministry said in a statement.
"Researchers ran gene-sequencing on the patient's sample and found the strain is a variant known as VOC 202012/01,” it said.
The variant includes a genetic mutation that, in theory, could result in the virus spreading more easily.
Countries around the world have cut off travel links to Britain to stop the spread of the new variant, which scientists have said is 40 percent to 70 percent more transmissible than the original virus.
Vietnam is still operating repatriation flights to bring its citizens stuck in the U.K. home amid the pandemic.
With strict quarantine and tracking measures, Vietnam has quickly contained coronavirus outbreaks, allowing economic activity to rebound faster than in much of Asia. It has recorded 1,474 infections, with 35 deaths. (Reuters)