The Health Ministry said on Tuesday that it has identified three cases of the so-called New York variant of the coronavirus, the first time the mutation has been found in Israel.
The ministry said all three cases were in the same family.
Officials are reportedly concerned the variant could already be spreading undetected in Israel.
Furthermore, the ministry was said to be weighing new restrictions on the fully vaccinated family members of people found to be carrying the virus. According to the outlet, vaccinated people could be asked to undergo testing or to quarantine, regulations they are currently exempt from.
Viruses are constantly mutating as they spread and make copies of themselves. Some genetic tweaks can be concerning, especially if they help the virus spread more easily, make it more deadly or curb the effectiveness of vaccines. Scientists use genome sequencing and other research to figure out which are potential problems.
New variants have been showing up throughout the pandemic, but three have so far been considered the most worrisome and been designated “variants of concern.” They were first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil but have spread to other countries.
The highly contagious British mutation now accounts for almost all new coronavirus infections in Israel.
Israel’s land and air gateways have been largely closed since January 25, with Ben Gurion Airport shuttered for all but a few special flights by Israeli and some foreign airlines to bring back citizens stranded abroad, leaving thousands unable to return.
Entrance into the country has required special permission by the government that is granted on a case-by-case basis ahead of a flight, as officials are concerned that more contagious strains of the coronavirus could arrive in the country from abroad. However, ministers voted on Tuesday to curtail the panel’s work and place fewer limitations on returning Israelis.
