The first case of the new variant B.1.1.529 was initially announced by the Belgian government Found in South Africa, Was identified in
Belgium. It is the first country in Europe to make this announcement, while the variant has not existed before. “We now have a confirmed case of this variant. This is someone who came from abroad. Positive on November 22nd. Who has not been vaccinated, ”Health Minister Frank Vandenbrook told a news conference on Friday. According to virologist Mark van Rance, this is a traveler who returned from Egypt on November 11th. According to Flemish media, a man in his thirties.

The first discovery of this new variant, which is highly contagious, was announced in South Africa on Thursday. “This is a questionable variant, and we do not know if this is a very dangerous variant,” Frank Vandenbrook underlined. “In Belgium, a sample was confirmed to be the new variant B.1.1.529”, it was announced on Twitter by Marc van Rance, this tourist returnedEgypt The first symptoms were on Monday.

Flights from South Africa have been suspended

Earlier, the French Minister of Health Olivier Veron, While traveling to Brest (Finster), indicated that this was not the new variant[vait] No diagnosis has been made in Europe to date.

Many European countries decided to suspend flights from South Africa on Friday, while other countries, such as Japan, imposed a moratorium. The European Commission will instruct member states in the afternoon to activate emergency breaks to disrupt flights from South Africa.