Health authorities in Denmark reported that 33 people have been infected by a new variant of coronavirus which has been spreading rapidly across Britain where it was first discovered.
The State Serum Institute (SSI), Denmark’s infectious disease authority, confirmed its findings in a report on Wednesday, based on its analysis of 7,805 positive tests between November 14 and December 14.
This means the variant was found in 0.4 percent of samples, although only 13.5 percent of infections during the period were tested, meaning the real number of mutant cases may be much higher, according to the report.
The SSI said there is a “societal infection” of the variant, albeit at a “very low level,” however the 33 cases of the strain appear to be among the highest number recorded outside of the UK.
Denmark is among more than 50 countries that shut its borders to Britain over the strain which scientists believe played a part in cases shooting up in London and the South East of England.
The World Health Organization has said that initial analysis indicates that the variant “may spread more readily between people,” while research is ongoing to see if the strain increases the severity of the virus or its resistance to vaccines.
Most of the EU’s 27 nations shut their borders to the UK, while other countries across the world imposed a ban on British arrivals including Canada, Russia, China, Brazil and India.
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