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Germany records first case of Brazilian coronavirus strain

Germany has detected its first case of a newly discovered Brazilian coronavirus variant, feared to be particularly infectious, regional health officials in the state of Hesse said Friday.

Published: 22 January 2021 16:29 CET

Germany records first case of Brazilian coronavirus strain

A Covid-19 mask. Photo: DPA

The infected person recently returned from a trip to Brazil and lab tests on Thursday confirmed he had caught the new strain, Hessian Social Affairs Minister Kai Klose told reporters.

Experts from Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI) say the Brazilian mutation is similar to the South African variant, which is seen as more contagious than the original virus.

A third mutation that has emerged in Britain has added to fears about the pandemic, with scientists worrying that these more transmissible variants could turbocharge outbreaks across the globe.

Several countries, including Germany, have already imposed travel restrictions on people from affected nations or are asking for negative Covid-19 tests before departure.

Virologist Sandra Ciesek, one of Germany's best-known coronavirus experts, said Frankfurt's university hospital was informed on Thursday that an infected person was on board a flight from Brazil who was asymptomatic.

A PCR test upon landing reliably showed he had the Brazilian variant of the virus, she said. The probe is still undergoing detailed sequencing, which takes longer.

READ ALSO: German Health Minister says pandemic far from over but hope on the horizon

Brazilian expert Felipe Naveca recently told AFP that the Brazilian strain detected in the state of Amazonas is “very probably” more contagious, just like new strains found in Britain and South Africa.

Naveca said the variant, which the World Health Organization has described as “worrying,” may have spread throughout Brazil and could already be the dominant strain in Amazonas.

Germany has also recorded cases of the British and South African mutations on its soil, but has managed to isolate those cases so far and no large clusters have emerged yet.

Scientists to date do not believe that the new strains lead to more serious cases of Covid-19.

Germany on Friday crossed the mark of 50,000 Covid-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

READ ALSO: German virologist Drosten warns of 100,000 daily Covid-19 cases if measures taken away too quickly

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Could there be a new wave of Covid-19 in Germany this autumn?

More people donning face masks in supermarkets, friends cancelling plans last minute due to getting sick with Covid-19. We might have seen some of those familiar reminders recently that the coronavirus is still around, but could there really be a resurgence of the virus like we experienced during the pandemic years?

According to virologists, the answer seems to be ‘maybe’: since July, the number of people newly infected with Covid-19 has been slowly rising from a very low level.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), nine people per 100,000 inhabitants became newly infected in Germany last week. A year ago, there were only around 270 reported cases.

Various Corona variants are currently on the loose in the country. According to the RKI, the EG.5 (also called Eris) and XBB.1.16 lines were each detected in the week ending September 3rd with a share of just under 23 percent.

The highly mutated variant BA.2.86 (Pirola), which is currently under observation by the World Health Organisation (WHO), also arrived in the country this week, according to RKI.

High number of unreported case

The RKI epidemiologists also warned about a high number of unreported cases since hardly any testing is done. They pointed out that almost half of all registered sewage treatment plants report an increasing viral load in wastewater tests.

The number of hospital admissions has also increased slightly, but are still a far cry from the occupation rate amid the pandemic. Last week it was two per 100,000 inhabitants. In the intensive care units, only 1.2 percent of all beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.

Still, a good three-quarters (76.4 percent) of people in Germany have been vaccinated at least twice and thus have basic immunity, reported RKI.

Since Monday, doctors’ offices have been vaccinating with the adapted vaccine from Biontech/Pfizer, available to anyone over 12 years old, with a vaccine for small children set to be released the following week and one for those between 5 and 11 to come out October 2nd.

But Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has so far only recommended that people over 60 and those with pre-existing conditions get vaccinated.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who should get a Covid jab this autumn in Germany?

“The pandemic is over, the virus remains,” he said. “We cannot predict the course of coming waves of corona, but it is clear that older people and people with pre-existing conditions remain at higher risk of becoming severely ill from Covid-19”

The RKI also recommended that people with a cold voluntarily wear a mask. Anyone exhibiting cough, cold, sore throat or other symptoms of a respiratory illness should voluntarily stay at home for three to five days and take regular corona self-tests.

However, further measures such as contact restrictions are not necessary, he said.

One of many diseases

As of this autumn, Covid-19 could be one of many respiratory diseases. As with influenza, there are no longer absolute infection figures for coronavirus.

Saarbrücken pharmacist Thorsten Lehr told German broadcaster ZDF that self-protection through vaccinations, wearing a mask and getting tested when symptoms appear are prerequisites for surviving the Covid autumn well.

Only a new, more aggressive mutation could completely turn the game around, he added.

On April 7th of this year, Germany removed the last of its over two-year long coronavirus restrictions, including mask-wearing in some public places.

READ ALSO: German doctors recommend Covid-19 self-tests amid new variant

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