Coronavirus -EU and USA: BA.2 coronavirus variant detected in Louisville waste water

An extra-contagious version of the omicron variant that has been rising in parts of Europe and Asia has now been detected in Louisville.

According to Louisville Metro Health, the new variant BA.2 has been found in wastewater. Advertisement

BA.2 has caused about 35% of cases in the U.S. last week, up from 22% the week before, according to new estimates from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which were posted on Tuesday.

Read more at: BA.2 coronavirus variant detected in Louisville waste water

The Netherlands: Ferries from UK banned from sailing to Netherlands

Ferry lines which transport passengers from the United Kingdom across the North Sea to the Netherlands will not be permitted from Monday as the Dutch government attempts to prevent a highly-contagious variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus from spreading through the Dutch population. After a considerable rise in infections in the UK, many parts of that country went back into a strict lockdown over the weekend.

At the very start of Sunday, Dutch Health Minister Hugo de Jonge sent a letter to Parliament announcing that the Netherlands banned passenger flights from the UK effective immediately, and for an initial duration of about ten days. Belgium followed suit with a ban that included trains, meaning Eurostar rail service from the UK could no longer reach the Netherlands.

Read more at:Ferries from UK banned from sailing to Netherlands: Reports | NL Times