8 cases of the new more transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2 registered in Bulgaria

The British variant of Covid-19 is already in Bulgaria, Prof. Todor Kantardzhiev, Head of the National Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, told BNT current affairs programme “Panorama” on January 22.

According to him, there is no scientific evidence that the new strain is more deadly. He assured that the current vaccines are effective against it.

"During cellogenomic sequencing in a new generation device, we, at the Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, confirmed 8 cases of the new variant," he said.

We have proved that the new variant of SARS-CoV-2, which was first spotted in the UK, is present in our country," he added.

A broader study in Bulgaria will be carried out to see what the prevalence is.

The 8 cases of the new variant include people, who have just arrived from the UK. They immediately fell ill, were quarantined and admitted to hospital. We need to take measures to limit the spread of the new variant in the country, Prof. Kantardzhiev explained.

He advised everyone who arrives from Western Europe or from the UK to avoid getting together with the whole family and to self-isolate for some time and get tested.

He added that the new variant of Covid-19 is more transmissible than the virus’s previous version. If so far 10 people could infect 22, now with the new strain, 10 people may infect 29.

Compliance with the measures can limit the spread of this virus, the professor was firm.

We have to be very careful with the South African mutation, because the vaccine may not be effective against it. That doesn't mean tougher measures, but some of the measures just have to stay in place, he said.

People need to learn to listen to opinions by professionals in the field and people who represent institutions, Kantardzhiev said in relation to the people who still do not believe in the vaccines.

The big problem of the Bulgarians is the distrust in the institutions, the distrust in science, in medicine and healthcare, which happened because all sorts of things have been said by people who said they were doctors but did not behave as such and by people who are not doctors, but offered opinions, as if they were specialist on medical issues, he commented.