First case of new Covid-19 variant in Europe detected in Belgium

The variant is said to contain a "large number of mutations".

The first case of the new Covid-19 variant in Europe has been detected in Belgium.

On Friday (26 November), leading Belgian virologist Marc Van Ranst tweeted that one sample was confirmed as the B.1.1.529 variant.

The case was confirmed in a person who had returned from Egypt earlier in the month, the virologist said.

In Belgium, one sample was confirmed as the novel B.1.1.529 variant (in a returning traveller from Egypt (11/11); first symptoms on 22/11).

— Marc Van Ranst (@vanranstmarc) November 26, 2021

In a video posted to Twitter, Infectious Disease Epidemiologist for the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said that the variant was first detected in South Africa.

While little is known about the variant yet, she said it does contain a "large number of mutations".

"The concern is that when you have so many mutations, it can have an impact on how the virus behaves," she explained.

"Right now, researchers are getting together to understand where these mutations are and what that potentially may mean for our diagnostics, our therapeutics and our vaccines."

She said it will take "a few weeks" to understand the impact of the variant with experts to discuss if it will become a variant of interest or of concern.

Dr @mvankerkhove gives an update on #COVID19 virus variant B.1.1.529, during the #AskWHO session on 25 November 2021 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ZpflfEYzW9

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 25, 2021

Meanwhile, President of the EU Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, tweeted on Friday that there are plans to propose a stop to flights from southern Africa in the coming days due to the variant.

"The European Commission will propose, in close coordination with Member States, to activate the emergency brake to stop air travel from the southern African region due to the variant of concern B.1.1.529," she wrote.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said he is "deeply concerned" about the new variant in a statement released by the Department of Health.