British COVID-19 strain detected in 132 countries

The coronavirus strain VOC 202012/01, which was first detected in the UK and had higher infectivity, has been recorded in two more countries in the last two weeks, bringing the total number of such countries to 132, Report informs, citing the weekly epidemiological bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The spreading of the 501y.V2 strain found in South Africa has expanded to 82 countries, while the P. 1 strain, first seen in Brazil and Japan, is now circulating in 52 countries.

According to the WHO, VOC-202012/01 appeared in the UK in September last year and 501y in the Republic of South Africa. Strain V2 has been available since early August, while P. 1 - since December in Brazil and Japan.