The new coronavirus strain blamed for the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the UK has escaped to the rest of the world.
Cases of a more contagious mutation in the virus that sent much of Britain into a deadlock almost before Christmas have been confirmed not only in several European countries, but also in Japan and Australia.
Japan has identified five cases of the British strain, all in people who have recently arrived from the UK, The Guardian reported. The five people have been quarantined, but the presence of the strain is worrying in a country that managed to suffer COVID in the early days of the pandemic and sees a rapid increase in cases.
A case of the British version has been found in France so far, also in someone who had traveled to the UK and arrived in Tours from London last weekend. French health officials say several other suspected cases are being tested.
The variant was also found in Denmark, Italy, Gibraltar, the Netherlands and Australia, according to Sky News. Most cases involve people who have traveled from the UK.
Russia was the latest nation to call on travelers from Britain to be quarantined, easing restrictions after joining the country’s travel ban earlier.
A strain that looks very similar to that of Great Britain has been found in South Africa, but experts are not yet sure if it is the same or another variant. Another option is circulating in Nigeria.