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A new variant of the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the UK.
It has rapidly become the dominant strain in cases of COVID-19 southern England, and has caused a significant increase in hospitalisation rates around London, the South East and
eastern England.
The new strain is not the first new variant to emerge, but there has been significant concern as it has been found to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the UK. It was first seen in the UK in September, and by the week of December 9 in
London, 62% of COVID-19 cases were due to the new variant. It has now been found in
Europe and is spreading globally.
This has caused a significant increase in the number of people with Covid-19. On
Wednesday 30 December, the UK Government announced a further 50,023 confirmed
cases - the second highest daily figure since the pandemic began. The tally of 981 deaths, announced on the 30 December, is the highest number since April.
There is not yet evidence as to whether the Pfizer BioNtech, nor the Oxford-
AstraZeneca vaccines currently being used in the UK - or other COVID-19 shots in
development will not protect against this variant. Because of the increase in possibility of transmission, some health advisors, including Independent Sage, advocate a total lockdown, in addition to the vaccine roll out programme.
新冠病毒變種
變種新冠病毒SARS-CoV-2 正在英國快速地傳播。這新變種病毒在倫敦、英國東部及東南部
已成為主要的傳染病毒，令到因此而入院的數字快速上升。
這新變種病毒在9月開始被發現。它的傳染能力比前種病毒高出七倍之多。至12月為止，倫敦
六成多的新冠病症都是因新種病毒感染所致。政府在12月30日公佈的英國新冠感染數字為
50,023個人，死亡數字為981個人，是四月以來最高的死亡人數。這變種病毒現已出現在歐洲
並在全球傳播中。
目前未有証據顯示現正在英國注射的兩種疫苗不足以抵抗變種病毒。但由於變種病毒傳染性高
，眾多醫學界專才及如Independent Sage的機構均建議在注射疫苗之外更要封鎖全國，以阻
止病毒的蔓延。
新冠病毒变种
变种新冠病毒SARS-CoV-2 正在英国快速地传播。 这新变种病毒在伦敦、英国东部及东南部
已成为主要的传染病毒，令到因此而入院的数字快速上升。
这新变种病毒在9月开始被发现。 它的传染能力比前种病毒高出七倍之多。 至12月为止，伦
敦六成多的新冠病症都是因新种病毒感染所致。 政府在12月30日公布的英国新冠感染数字为
50,023个人，死亡数字为981个人，是四月以来最高的死亡人数。 这变种病毒现已出现在欧洲
并在全球传播中。
目前未有证据显示现正在英国注射的两种疫苗不足以抵抗变种病毒。 但由于变种病毒传染性
高，众多医学界专才及如Independent Sage的机构均建议在注射疫苗之外更要封锁全国，以
阻止病毒的蔓延。