New UK variant of coronavirus may be more deadly, says Boris Johnson
London: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said early evidence suggests that the new variant of coronavirus that was detected in England towards the end of last year may be associated with a higher degree of mortality.
Based on preliminary data briefing by scientists at the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG), Johnson admitted that it would seem the new variant was deadlier but stressed that the two vaccines being administered in the UK -- Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca -- are effective against all variants.
In addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant the variant that was first identified in London and the south east [of England] may be associated with a higher degree of mortality. It is largely the impact of this new variant that means the NHS [National Health Service] is under so much intense pressure, Johnson said in his address at a virtual briefing from 10 Downing Street in London.
All current evidence shows both vaccines remain effective against the old and new coronavirus variant, he said.
The new variant was first discovered in Kent, south-east England, and spread rapidly through London and then across other regions of the UK.
It was already classified as a more highly-transmissible variant but its risk level was so far not believed to be any greater than the original strain.
There is evidence that there is an increased risk for people who have the new variant, compared to the old variant," said Sir Patrick Vallance, the government's Chief Scientific Adviser who joined Johnson at the briefing.
He, however, stressed that the data is "uncertain", but suggests that for a man in his 60s, the risk of death with the new variant is 13 in 1,000 rather than the original 10 in 1000, making it about 30 per cent more dangerous. But he pointed out that people who have received the vaccine appear to be immune to the new variant, and people who have previously been infected with the original variant appear to be immune to the new variant.
"So there's good news on the vaccine," said Vallance, stressing on the overall message of the importance of people strictly following the lockdown rules in place to keep the infections under control.
Johnson also sought to highlight the "unprecedented" effort underway with the vaccination programme, which has now covered 5.4 million people with their first dose of the two-dose vaccines, with 400,000 new doses delivered in the last 24 hours alone.
It comes as the UK registered another 1,401 daily deaths from the deadly virus, taking the country's overall toll from the pandemic to 95,981.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
