Coronavirus: New variant detected in Cyprus (Update 3)

The new variant of Covid-19, first detected in the UK, has now been found among the community in Cyprus, it emerged on Monday.

According to the health ministry, the new variant was discovered in one of 24 samples randomly taken from people diagnosed as positive with coronavirus in the last week of December from all districts.

The samples were processed by the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics’ (Cing).

“The new variant of the virus, VOC 202012/01, was detected in one of the 24 samples, which confirms the existence of the mutated strain in the community,” the ministry said. “Due to the small number of samples tested we are not able to know at this time to what extent it has been transmitted to the community.”

Experts are now pondering whether to test more samples.

According to the ministry, there was an initial discussion with professor of virology at the University of Cyprus and member of the ministry epidemiology team, Dr Leontios Kostrikis, who has developed a less time-consuming test, the possibility of investigating more samples, though there has been not any commitment at the moment.

The new variant  had already detected in samples taken from 12 people who arrived in Cyprus from the UK between December 6 and 20, but it was not previously certain whether it had spread into the community as well.

“As we see in the UK, where the new variant was first identified and detected in many individuals, the high numbers in daily cases, despite the strict measures applied, are partly attributed to the existence of the new variant in the community,” a source within the ministry said.

Head of the Cing’s molecular virology department, Christina Christodoulou told the Cyprus News Agency earlier on Monday that there was no cause for concern, explaining that to date no serious scientific source has stated that the new variant of the virus, which is more contagious, gives worse clinical symptoms than the original form of the virus.

In the meantime, an urgent meeting between Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou and the epidemiological advisory team took place on Monday afternoon, followed by a further meeting on Tuesday attended by the president – with cabinet due to meet on Thursday to take any final decision on new measures.

Reports from the CNA cited sources as saying that a full-on March-style lockdown is likely and may be announced before Thursday, due to pressure faced by the hospitals.

Under such a scenario, permission to leave one’s home would be required and facilitated via the SMS system.

Current measures expire on Sunday.

Authorities are also concerned that the new more transmissible variant of the virus announced in Britain last month is already widespread in the community.

Months of restrictive measures island-wide have not been successful in reducing the number of coronavirus cases, and, most importantly hospitalisations.

Around 185 people were being treated in hospital on Monday and more were expected in the coming days.

European University lecturer Zoi Dorothea Pana said what was important was hospital capacity.

“We must prevent images like the ones we saw in other countries,” where overwhelmed doctors had to choose whom to send to ICU units.

Pana said there was a need to find the best solution moving forward but whatever that was “January will be a difficult month. Soon we must tell people what will happen in the next days,” she said.

An 11pm curfew was announced on November 4, followed by Limassol and Paphos being put into an almost complete lockdown on November 12.

Restrictions gradually ramped up as most notably the government announced that bars, restaurants and malls were forced to close on December 9. A 9pm curfew was also imposed. Gatherings and celebrations during the holidays were also more heavily restricted.