ALGIERS- The Minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform, Abderrahmane Benbouzid, voiced, today, Tuesday, May 04th, 2021, on the recent rise in the number of cases and deaths and the possibility of the outbreak of a third wave of the pandemic, in particular with the appearance of Indian variant in Algeria.
In a statement to the press at the end of his visit to the Zemmirli Hospital in the capital Algiers, the Minister pointed out that the epidemiological situation in Algeria remains stable, expressing wish that Algeria can avoid the third wave of the Coronavirus pandemic completely.
In addition, the Minister explained that the Indian strain of Coronavirus had been detected in an Indian residing in Koléa in the province of Tipaza.
Ihe Minister recalled that 06 cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19 were detected for the first time in Algeria, and that other cases are not excluded.
As long as the arrival of vaccines is concerned, Mr. Benbouzid referred to the imminent arrival of the intended doses on Friday.
Earlier, Pasteur Institute announced the detection for the first time of 06 cases of Indian strain (B.1.617), in Tipasa province.
In a statement, Pasteur Institute stated that this strain that was discovered in Algeria is of subtype 2 (sous-type 2), which contains differences compared to the hybrid mutation currently prevalent in India (absence of the E484K mutation).
Incidentally, Pasteur Institute stated that the World Health Organization has classified this strain as “a strain under observation “, whose ranking comes after the so-called “worrisome” strains, represented by the British, South African and Brazilian strains.
The institute’s communiqué also stated that “within the framework of genetic research related to monitoring mutated strains of SARS-CoV-2 that Pasteur Institute in Algeria is carrying out on samples received from various provinces, today, May 3, 2021, 37 new cases of the British strain were detected ( B.1.1.7) ‘.
These cases are divided as follows: “23 cases from Algiers, 05 cases from the province of Blida, 03 cases from the province of Bejaia, one case from the province of Constantine, one case from the province of Medea, one case from the province of Mila, and 03 cases from the province of M’sila,” indicating that the total number of confirmed cases from this strain, since the date of February 25, reached 180 cases.”
As for the Nigerian strain (B.1.525), the same press release clarified that “no new case was detected until the statement was released (genetic research is currently underway).”
In this light and in light of the emergence of these different strains, Pasteur Institute in Algeria calls on citizens to “adhere in the most strictest terms to the basic rules stipulated in the health protocol (wearing protective masks, physical distancing and frequent hand washing), which in these circumstances are the only guarantee to limit the spread of this virus and avoid registering more cases”.
ENTV
