Greece’s health authorities are on alert due to an infection case bearing strains of a possible Indian variant of Covid-19. The case has been detected in the port city of Patras, in north-western Peloponnese on Wednesday, media report today.
Magazine Lifo reports that the strains of the Indian mutation has been confirmed on Wednesday and that it was tested positive several times in the days before.
Speaking to Mega TV, epidemiologist at Rio Hospital Karolina Akinosoglou said that the sample was detected in the center of Patras and that there is currently a tracing procedure under way. The infected person has mild symptoms and the contacts are been tracing.
According to a report by Open TV, the sample has a lot in common with the Indian mutated strain.
In fact, the sample shows several mutations of the Indian strain, however, it lack the one that escapes the immune system, something considered as particularly important, Open TV reported.
There have been no official announcement by the Greek health authorities, so far.
t is noted that the international scientific community has been alerted to the mutated Indian strain, as it is highly contagious and scientists are considering whether the already developed coronavirus vaccines may be less effective.
Only a few days ago, Indian mutation strain, the B.1.617 variant, was detected in Belgium. Some 20 out of 43 nursing students were tested positive to the Indian variant. The group came from India to Belgium via the international airport Charles de Gaulle in Paris.
The Indian mutations have been found also in Australia, Germany, Ireland, Namibia, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, the U.K. and the U.S.A.
The prevailing mutation of Covid-19 in Greece is the UK variant, followed by fewer cases of the South African mutation.
