UK variant was responsible for 98% of Thai infections, says leading virologist - Indian variant not detected yet

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Very dangerous assigning country names to variants of this virus, as we are not 100% sure where they originated, only where they were first discovered.

 

Of course the original strain came from China, of that there is no question, however I believe the Chinese are now claiming the virus came from Europe originally. 

And only this morning me Idiot was spouting the fact that Thailand may have its own variant now after this latest outbreak..

[robblok]

6 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Luckily, they are going to ban all non-Thai from India soon from May 1.

 

If not, Thailand is going to be dealing with two variants i.e. UK and Indian variants.

Sure banning the direct vector will help a bit. But as long as the land border is as unprotected as it is if the indian version goes to an neighboring country it will enter Thailand. Just like the UK version, that version is also likely imported not from the UK but from one of the neighboring countries by illegal  workers ect. 

 

Still its better then doing nothing. But i thought the air border was safe, i mean people go in quarantaine. Not much chance of something escaping from quarantaine.

[mrfill]

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Ultimately, it matters little where a strain originated, where it was identified and what the variant is called - it just matters that it exists and more variants will.

 

People have small minds, most read a headline and draw an opinion before an article or news piece is read - The media don’t want to keep discussing variant B.1.1.7 its boring, not dramatic enough there needs to be an element of sensationalisation, the British Strain is far more ‘grabbing’ than just B.1.1.7.

 

Now we have a new ‘buzz word’ or would that be ‘buzz strain’...  the ‘Double Mutant Indian Variant’.... its a media wet dream and serves to continue the hysteria. 

 

But, thats the way both the media and we work... Does anyone know what the D614G variant is ??? (its the initial variant which spread across the world in the early phase of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak).

 

I’m sure more phrases will be thought up to frighten the living daylights out of the general public... i.e. the Tropical Variant, the East African Variant,  the Reaper Variant....

 

 

 

 

 

 

And don't forget the 'Definitely not from here Variant' and the 'From a neighbouring country' variant.

[ukrules]

The encouraging news is that this continuously evolving variant is only 2 porous border hops away from its home back in China

 

It won't be long now.

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

 

 

Still its better then doing nothing. But i thought the air border was safe, i mean people go in quarantaine. Not much chance of something escaping from quarantaine.

 

There is a chance the virus could have escaped from the quarantine center. I don't think that Thailand quarantine is that strict or foolproof.

 

Many people were found to contain Covid on arrival even though they are supposed to be 'Covid-free'.

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by EricTh

[placnx]

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Ultimately, it matters little where a strain originated, where it was identified and what the variant is called - it just matters that it exists and more variants will.

 

People have small minds, most read a headline and draw an opinion before an article or news piece is read - The media don’t want to keep discussing variant B.1.1.7 its boring, not dramatic enough there needs to be an element of sensationalisation, the British Strain is far more ‘grabbing’ than just B.1.1.7.

 

Now we have a new ‘buzz word’ or would that be ‘buzz strain’...  the ‘Double Mutant Indian Variant’.... its a media wet dream and serves to continue the hysteria. 

 

But, thats the way both the media and we work... Does anyone know what the D614G variant is ??? (its the initial variant which spread across the world in the early phase of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak).

 

I’m sure more phrases will be thought up to frighten the living daylights out of the general public... i.e. the Tropical Variant, the East African Variant,  the Reaper Variant....

 

 

 

 

 

 

It makes sense not to call the double-mutant the "Indian" variant. Why? Because there may well be one or more additional variants coming from India. It's an out of control situation in a huge population.

[Regyai]

Time to get into pyre wood futures

[placnx]

4 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

And to think, a few months ago the government was touting a possible "travel corridor" with India.

True, and sometimes it's good to procrastinate.

[digger70]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

It had sneaked into Thailand too via a neighboring country, he said.

 

That just shows that they don't do a good job to keep the Borders Closed and let  people /returnees enter the country  Without Covid clearance. WHY? Because too many Corrupt people let people Sneak into the Country. It's all about Greed for Money.

 

[faraday]

3 hours ago, robblok said:

always thought you were good at reading

Nice barbed comment there, Rob.  ????

[Mundaring]

All that fun still to come eh?

 

Let the games begin!

[unblocktheplanet]

Think it's high time for the billionaires to call in their chips. If they can't, why are they billionaires???

[Tubulat]

He forgot to mention Songkran?

Oh, I understand, he also return to his home during that time.

[RobMuir]

7 hours ago, petermik said:

That`s it...blame the pesky foreigners once again ????

Speak for yourself mate. They are not blaming "foreigners".

 

It is accepted worldwide, the highly contagious B1.1.7 UK strain originated in the UK from one of their 4.5 million cases. The only ones who are denying it are a few uninformed PC oversensitive Brits.

 

The whole world is reporting it as such. It isn't some anti Farang Thai thing as you are claiming.

 

But with this strain making up 98% of infections in Thailand I can see why you want to deflect it. The whole situation in Thailand would be completely under control as it was last year if it wasn't for this strain.

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

Speak for yourself mate. They are not blaming "foreigners".

 

It is accepted worldwide, the highly contagious B1.1.7 UK strain originated in the UK from one of their 4.5 million cases. The only ones who are denying it are a few uninformed PC oversensitive Brits.

 

Accepted by who?  The origins of B.1.1.7 variant have not been confirmed, the variant was first identified in the United Kingdom, from patients in Kent. You can now consider yourself informed. 

 

3 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

The whole world is reporting it as such. It isn't some anti Farang Thai thing as you are claiming.

 

Its easier for the media to call it the UK strain rather than B.1.1.7...   no issues there - its just a name, stupid people can remember the ‘UK strain’ more readily than B.1.1.7 and the vast majority of media thrives on feeding the stupid. Soon the media will flare up with discussions of the Indian Double Mutant variant rather than by its name, variant B.1.617

 

3 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

But with this strain making up 98% of infections in Thailand I can see why you want to deflect it. The whole situation in Thailand would be completely under control as it was last year if it wasn't for this strain.

 

Any country whose population has not been vaccinated or which has a made extremely slow vaccination progress is at risk of any and every variant on the planet. Nothing is water tight and the migration and transmission of any variant is an inevitability, as is the antigenic drift from within than nation and the further development of mutations within a country’s border. 

 

98% - while this figure was reported, I wonder if all all of the Covid-19 RT PCR positive test so far were actually tested for the variant or, as with the vast majority of announcements made by public officials in Thailand the 98% figure is a complete fabrication. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RobMuir]

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Accepted by who?  The origins of B.1.1.7 variant have 

Let me guess, you are a Brit. Re read the headline, they also mention the Indian variant, but we don't have any Indians here making the same fuss.

 

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

 Soon the media will flare up with discussions of the Indian Double Mutant variant rather than by its name, variant B.1.617

Not if the Indian PC brigade have their way.

13 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

 the 98% figure is a complete fabrication. 

 

More denial. Got a link? 

 

The Brits bungled covid badly from the start which led to the highest numbers in Europe. With such high numbers the virus was always going to mutate as virologists said it would at the very start back in February 2020. Mutate it did and it is a shocker. 

 

Boris Johnson wanted to take it on the chin, they bungled the lockdowns, shutting down too late and reopening too early, didn't close their borders, bungled early testing, masks were optional with zero enforcement etc etc etc.

 

No other cases in the entire world of the B1.1.7 strain have showed up earlier than it was found in the UK.

None. Zero. 

 

But, but, but it must have come from "somewhere else". 

Maybe it come from The Nile?

[richard_smith237]

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Accepted by who?  The origins of B.1.1.7 variant have 

 

Let me guess, you are a Brit. Re read the headline, they also mention the Indian variant,

 

 

The variant was ‘first identified in the UK’ hence the name.  B.1.1.7 could well have mutated in the UK. There is no evidence, but statistically, given the numbers that is most likely. 

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

but we don't have any Indians here making the same fuss.

 

This is not a forum populated by Indians, there may be a few, however this forum is likely to be overwhelmingly North American, European and Australian with a few others nationalities thrown in such as New Zealand, Singapore.... 

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

 

Quote

Soon the media will flare up with discussions of the Indian Double Mutant variant rather than by its name, variant B.1.617

Not if the Indian PC brigade have their way.

Quote

 

 

 the 98% figure is a complete fabrication. 

 

 

More denial. Got a link? 

 

You believe that the 98% figure reported to be factually correct and has been taken from the results of variant testing ???? I too would like to see source data for that.

 

Additionally, the idea of you asking for a link to prove that something was fabricated is just a dash flawed don’t you think?... I would like to see a link to show the data wasn’t fabricated. 

 

With Variants of Concern: B.1.526, B.1.526.1, B.1.525, B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, B.1.427, B.1.429, P1, P2 having circulated much of the globe already, I find it quite surprising that B.1.1.7 is the variant which has impacted 98% of people and wonder if the Chula Virologist has not simply ‘gone for a little media spotlighting’ as he is known to do. 

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

The Brits bungled covid badly from the start which led to the highest numbers in Europe.

 

Agreed. The UK has the one of highest population densities in Europe, it has one of the most visited Capitals cities in the world and one of the busiest airports in the World.  

With the benefit of hindsight, every country ’should’ have shut its international borders and protected itself for at least a couple of months. Bungled - yes, well and truly. 

 

Not now though - the UK vaccine response has been impressive. 

 

Perhaps every country should have shut its borders and quarantined every arrival until those at risk could be vaccinated. 

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

With such high numbers the virus was always going to mutate as virologists said it would at the very start back in February 2020. Mutate it did and it is a shocker. 

 

Viruses are in a constant phase of mutation - there have been thousands of mutations, a number of which have concerned virologist. These are termed ‘Variants of concern’ and can happen anywhere at any time.

 

Chicken or the Egg ?...  is it the high numbers which cause mutation into a variant of concern, or a mutation into a variant of concern which causes the high numbers ???

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

 

Boris Johnson wanted to take it on the chin, they bungled the lockdowns, shutting down too late and reopening too early, didn't close their borders, bungled early testing, masks were optional with zero enforcement etc etc etc.

 

No other cases in the entire world of the B1.1.7 strain have showed up earlier than it was found in the UK.

None. Zero. 

 

Of course, the fact that it was ’named UK strain’ because it was first found in the UK kind of speaks for itself that it wasn’t found anywhere else ‘first’... and had they discovered B.1.1.7 strain in Belgium, France or anywhere else 2 weeks after first finding it in the UK it would still be the UK Variant which was first identified in the UK.....   can’t believe you didn’t consider that. 

 

Key word - Identified.... not discovered. 

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

But, but, but it must have come from "somewhere else". 

 

It could well have considering the UK is an island - thats why the origins of B.1.1.7 are unproven.

1) B.1.1.7 Mutation occurred in Kent, then spread to Bristol where it was next identified in the UK

2) B.1.1.7 Mutation was brought in through a port or the Airport and first identified in Kent. 

 

It matters little, its with us and its commonly known as the UK Variant - no issues with that, apart from with those who use it to stir up anti-British Rhetoric or to use it to win some childish point as you did when you suggested it ‘originated in the UK’... you don’t know that. 

 

 

22 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

Maybe it come from The Nile?

Facetious childishness.

 

[RobMuir]

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The variant was ‘first identified in the UK’ hence the name.  B.1.1.7 could well have mutated in the UK.

Retroactive testing in other countries has proven it did beyond any reasonable doubt now.

 

And the high numbers of covid cases in the UK is the reason it mutated as it did.

 

The high numbers of cases in the UK were due to bungling by macho Boris (who dismissed masks and social distancing personally and contracted the virus himself) and a large proportion of the UK population who resisted mask wearing and social distancing also.

 

The UK government didn't stop their citizens from traveling after knowing it was highly contagious. They should have. It was gross negligence not to.

If they had it would have been a UK problem and not a worldwide problem.

 

And we wouldn't be where we are today, now I am in effective lockdown because the above. Friends and family who were hoping to visit me in Thailand later in the year will now not be able to.

 

 I am not going to pretend it isn't what it is because of a fear of offending some of the PC brigade.

 

It isn't anti British rhetoric as you are trying to claim. It is what it is. 

 

And it is a very serious situation. Thousands are dying from it, their livelihoods destroyed by it, but some seem more concerned about saving face.

[Bkk Brian]

11 minutes ago, RobMuir said:

Retroactive testing in other countries has proven it did beyond any reasonable doubt now.

 

And the high numbers of covid cases in the UK is the reason it mutated as it did.

 

The high numbers of cases in the UK were due to bungling by macho Boris (who dismissed masks and social distancing personally and contracted the virus himself) and a large proportion of the UK population who resisted mask wearing and social distancing also.

 

The UK government didn't stop their citizens from traveling after knowing it was highly contagious. They should have. It was gross negligence not to.

If they had it would have been a UK problem and not a worldwide problem.

 

And we wouldn't be where we are today, now I am in effective lockdown because the above. Friends and family who were hoping to visit me in Thailand later in the year will now not be able to.

 

 I am not going to pretend it isn't what it is because of a fear of offending some of the PC brigade.

 

It isn't anti British rhetoric as you are trying to claim. It is what it is. 

 

And it is a very serious situation. Thousands are dying from it, their livelihoods destroyed by it, but some seem more concerned about saving face.

Indeed a very powerful strain, one point however, it was found from a sample taken in Sept 2020, the UK at that time was having around the same numbers of infections as Thailand is today. In November that sample was officially named and given the status of significant concern but by then spread quickly increasing the covid number exceptionally, it was too late, the damage had been done and the UK felt its severe second wave. 

 

My point being that its not a case of the UK being completely ravaged at the time, not at all, it had been under control for months with daily cases below 1000. The new strain was the culprit.

 

So its very possible that there are new strains here already and certainly throughout the world and the numbers daily do not need to be that high for them to mutate.

[NanLaew]

10 hours ago, robblok said:

Fact is the UK strain was first discovered in the UK. They THINK it might have come from France. But there is no proof for that. France did testing for genome too and did not discover it first.

It was detected in Holland first, about five weeks before the UK completed the genomic analysis and confirmed its existence.

 

It's not worthwhile labeling these variants as they are evolving everywhere there's no control on people movement.

 

 A guy was telling me he would like to know where these infections are being detected so he can avoid them. I tried to tell him if it has already been detected there, it is too late and it has already moved on. It is spread by people movements and not by markets or malls.

Edited April 26, 2021 by NanLaew

[Damrongsak]

Seems like the B.1.1.7 variant has become the favorite flavor in the U.S. since January.  https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

 

[RobMuir]

33 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

Seems like the B.1.1.7 variant has become the favorite flavor in the U.S. since January.  https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions

 

Someone will be posting in a minute throwing doubt on those figures. (44% of cases in the USA up to 60% in some states)

 

Reports today on Thai social media are talking of full hospitals, with many surgeries being now delayed indefinitely and emergency rooms being closed. When people are unable to get treated the bodies start piling up very quickly.

It is exploding out of control now.

 

But some are more concerned about being offended.

 

Definitely the time has come for a hard lockdown.

Edited April 26, 2021 by RobMuir

[Joe Farang]

So, It's the Pommie Pestilence that's starting to run amok in Thailand.

[gunderhill]

13 hours ago, robblok said:

Anyway i still don't believe the lab things untill its really proven

Well unfortunately when you deal with a  country like  China the truth is a dirty word, the doctor who blew the whistle was silenced. threatened then died from it. The truth  will never  be  known when you  have total  control over the population.

[Jeffr2]

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/a-guide-to-the-uk-variant-fuelling-thailands-third-wave-of-covid-19/

Quote

Dr Yong Poovorawan, a renowned virologist at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine, said the UK variant may have arrived in Thailand via Cambodia, judging by similarities in genetics and infection spikes in the two countries.

 

Probably because of the government officials who visited the casino/brothel in Cambo, then went to Thong Lor to party in pubs practicing no covid safety standards.

[Danderman123]

7 hours ago, RobMuir said:

Someone will be posting in a minute throwing doubt on those figures. (44% of cases in the USA up to 60% in some states)

 

Reports today on Thai social media are talking of full hospitals, with many surgeries being now delayed indefinitely and emergency rooms being closed. When people are unable to get treated the bodies start piling up very quickly.

It is exploding out of control now.

 

But some are more concerned about being offended.

 

Definitely the time has come for a hard lockdown.

So far, we are not seeing reports of full hospitals and ambulances circling looking for open beds. Not yet. 

 

It would be interesting to get a breakdown of hospitals showing occupancy rates. 

[Scott]

Troll post and posts with false or misleading information reported and removed.  

 

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/a-guide-to-the-uk-variant-fuelling-thailands-third-wave-of-covid-19/

 

Probably because of the government officials who visited the casino/brothel in Cambo, then went to Thong Lor to party in pubs practicing no covid safety standards.

 

That may not be too far from the truth. That's the second time someone has said it was a walk-in from Cambodia. With their track and trace procedures allowing them to nail a Lumpini boxing stadium cop in Isaan last year and pull an illegally entering Myanmar casino worker off a bus bound for Kalasin in the middle of the night, someone knows who brought it here. Didn't a cabinet minister test positive and a slew of cabinet members go into quarantine on the Friday before Songkran kicked off? The same day Anutin said everyone can go home for the holidays?

[Fex Bluse]

On 4/26/2021 at 12:08 PM, Mr Meeseeks said:

Very dangerous assigning country names to variants of this virus, as we are not 100% sure where they originated, only where they were first discovered.

 

Of course the original strain came from China, of that there is no question, however I believe the Chinese are now claiming the virus came from Europe originally. 

They will say anything. Only people with an agenda will listen to anything China says. They will get their payback for this, in time. 

 

Anyway, it's virtually guaranteed the oriental countries will not identify and report any new strains because they care most about face and not being stigmatized by variant names. 

 

They'd rather half humanity perish. 

 

Watch - no variants from oriental countries will ever be discovered. 

Edited April 27, 2021 by Fex Bluse

[ivor bigun]

22 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I agree, let's blame them. Migrants in boats in Kent ! 

the main thing i blame them for is bringing Britain and the western civilization i grew up in down to their level.