New strain of coronavirus detected in UK

British scientists have identified another new variant of the coronavirus with potentially worrying mutations, local media reported on Tuesday, while UNICEF and 16 airlines announced a mechanism to accelerate the global vaccination campaign, which has continued its progress slow and unbalanced in the world.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have detected a new strain of the virus in the UK, which has disturbing mutations also identified in the South African and Brazilian variants, associated with the increased ability of the virus to evade some of the defenses of the body, according to the BBC.

Although it is still early to determine the risk of this new variant, its presence has been reported in at least a dozen countries, among which stand out the United Kingdom (with 32 cases), Denmark (35), the Nigeria (12). States (seven), Ghana (four), Australia (two) and Jordan (two).

More than a year after the start of the pandemic, Covid-19 has infected more than 109.3 million people worldwide and killed more than 2.4 million, according to the independent report from Johns Hopkins University.

While the vast majority of countries maintain restrictions to stem its spread, vaccination against the disease is progressing much slower than expected and unevenly.

More than 180 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in at least 96 countries or territories, according to official data.

However, high-income and upper-middle-income countries (according to the World Bank) concentrate more than nine out of 10 doses (93%), while they are home to only half (53%) of the world’s population.

In an attempt to end this imbalance, UNICEF said it had agreed with 16 international airlines to mass distribute vaccines, essential drugs and medical devices to 100 countries to respond to the pandemic.

Through the new Humanitarian Air Transport Initiative, airlines will support the distribution of vaccines linked to the Covax mechanism, the global coalition that seeks to ensure rapid and equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines for all countries, regardless of their location. income level.

“The distribution of these vital vaccines is a monumental and complex task, given the enormous quantities to be transported, the needs of the cold chain, the estimated number of deliveries and the diversity of routes”, explained Etleva Kadilli, director of the Supply Division of this United Nations agency.

According to Covax’s distribution and allocation plan, 145 countries will receive from the first half of 2021 the doses that will be used to vaccinate an average of 3% of the population of these countries.

In Latin America, one of the regions hardest hit by the virus with more than 20 million infected and 642,000 deaths, vaccination is progressing unevenly and in some cases with irregularities, as in Peru, where members of the government were vaccinated before the start of the Bell.

Inequalities linked to access to vaccines will be denounced tomorrow before the United Nations Security Council by the Mexican government: “We will present the position of Mexico and Latin America on what is happening in the world, inequalities , inequalities in access to vaccines, ”said Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

Meanwhile, in the Middle East, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, in power in the Gaza Strip, today accused Israel of violating international law by blocking the entry of vaccines into this territory, isolated by the blockade. Israeli imposed for some time. over a decade.

In Africa, South Africa announced today that it had offered the African Union one million vaccines it has from the AstraZeneca laboratory, after postponing its inoculation campaign with the drug because its effectiveness against the local variant of the virus is in doubt.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency approval to the Astrazeneca vaccine, which will promote the distribution of hundreds of millions of doses in disadvantaged countries.

The fight for access to the Covid-19 vaccine has led North Korean hackers to attempt to break into the systems of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer seeking information on its inoculant and treatment for the disease, said today hui the South Korean intelligence services. hurry.

North Korea closed its borders more than a year ago to try to protect itself from the epidemic that erupted in neighboring China in December 2019, and leader Kim Jong Un assured his country had no no case, although foreign experts have questioned this claim.

In neighboring Japan, a slow Covid-19 vaccination plan will begin tomorrow, initially reserved for a small number of health workers, while the rest of the population will have to wait weeks or even months, on the eve of the Olympic Games.

In Europe, where the mass vaccination campaign is progressing less quickly than expected, US pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson has requested authorization for its vaccine in the European Union, the European Health Agency reported today ( EMA), who could make a decision through the middle. Of March.

The European Commission “is ready” to authorize it as soon as the EMA scientifically approves it, said its president, Ursula von der Leyen.