Covid-19 501.V2: New variant of coronavirus dey for South Africa
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Di UK no be di only kontri wit new variant of coronavirus.
Scientists for South Africa don announce say dem and di World Health Organization (WHO) dey chook eye into new mutation of di wey dey cause Covid-19 to dey increase for many parts of di kontri.
Dem know am as 501.V2, and na di genomics team for di Kwazulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (Krisp) identify am.
On 18 December, South Africa Health minister, Zweli Mkhize tok say 501.V2 dey do like say e dey infect more young pipo dan di old version of di virus.
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According to di Ministry of Health, di total number of Covid-19 cases for South Africa don pass 921,000 as of 21 December - 24,000 pipo don kapi from di disease.
Pumza Filhani, BBC tori pesin for South Africa, say 501.V2 dey different from di new one wey dey spread for di UK wey dey make pipo for di world worry.
But e share one important mutation as e dey copy di same way di virus dey attach to human cells - and scientists dey suspect say dis fit be di reaseon why e dey spread fast fast.
Mutation no mean say di virus dey more deadly
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Trudy Lang, wey be professor of Global Health for Oxford University for di UK, explain say mutation of viruses dey common, but dis kain changes no dey really make di virus dey more deadly.
"From evolution point of view, di virus gats mutate so dat e fit spread reach more pipo. Successful virus na di one wey dey spread easy," na wetin she tell BBC.
"Di death of di host no be sometin wey go help di virus."
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For press briefing on 18 December, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, chairman of South Africa Ministerial Advisory Committee, say 501.V2 dey carry first among di confam new infections for di kontri.
"E still dey very early, but for dis stage di data dey suggest say di virus dey dominate as di second wave dey spread faster dan di first wave," na wetin Karim tok.
"IE no clear if dis second wave get more or [fewer] deaths. We neva see red flags based on our current death information."
Researchers for UK tok say di mutated virus for dia dey transmit 70% more dan di previously known strain of coronavirus.
As tins be so di rate of new daily infections for di kontri, don more dan double between 6 December and 20 December, according to figures from di Ministry of Health.
On 14 December, di goment ttok say vaccination go start "early next year" as part of programme coordinated by WHO.
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Dem find di new South African variant for di Eastern Cape province, but e don spread go two oda regions - di Western Cape and Kwazulu-Natal.
Di kontri just enta dia second wave of infections - wey don make new regulations to slow di disease spread, like di closure of some of di big big beaches.
Some kontris don ban flights from South Africa - just like wetin happen for di UK.
Dem include Germany and Switzerland, while El Salvador don ban any traveller wy bin don dey South Africa for di last 30 days.
