Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Seven residents of Belgian nursing home die after outbreak of B.1.621 lineage of COVID-19
by Reuters
Friday, 6 August 2021 16:15 GMT
Aug 6 (Reuters) - Seven residents of a nursing home in Belgium have died after being infected with a lineage of the coronavirus first detected in Colombia despite being fully vaccinated, the virology team that conducted tests said on Friday.
The virology team said the residents had been infected with the B.1.621 lineage of COVID-19 that originated in Colombia and has been detected in recent weeks in the United States but cases in Europe have been rare.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has listed the B1.621 lineage as part of the Kappa variant of the coronavirus, but not as a variant itself.
The seven people who died at the nursing home in the Belgian town of Zaventem, near Brussels, were all in their 80s or 90s, and some of them were already in a poor physical condition, said Marc Van Ranst, a virologist at the University of Leuven which conducted tests on the virus found at the nursing home.
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https://news.trust.org/item/20210806161616-xnr99/
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Translation Google
Seven residents of a Belgian nursing home die after being infected with a new variant: a visitor probably at the origin of the outbreak
...
Belga
Posted on 06-08-2021 at 8:58 - Updated 06-08-2021 at 10:56 p.m.
The first two infections were detected on July 16, in a department for patients with dementia, which had been quarantined and subjected to all necessary measures. In total, 20 contaminations had been revealed, but all were confined to this service.
Of the seven patients who died, some were already in poor health, while others were doing relatively well.
The 20 infected residents, but also all the staff - with the exception of one student - had been vaccinated. "We have no idea how the virus entered the service," regrets the head of care and human resources of the establishment, Kathleen Boydens.
Research carried out by a team from KU Leuven showed that it was the Colombian variant of the coronavirus, new and still not very present in Belgium. "We know that this new variant has been in Belgium since the end of June, but in a very low percentage", explains virologist Marc Van Ranst. Twenty outbreaks of contamination have been identified concerning this variant, which must be followed very carefully, according to the expert, because it has already appeared in other countries as well. "An investigation carried out in England has shown that this variant is no more pathogenic than those we already know, but it is still too early to make definitive statements.
A visitor probably at the origin of the detected outbreak
A visitor is probably behind the outbreak of coronavirus detected at the Ter Burg rest and care home in Zaventem, where seven vaccinated residents died after contracting the virus, the Flemish Health Care Agency said on Friday.
"The person in question was asymptomatic. She had visited the nursing home a few days before performing a positive test," explains the agency door Ria Vandenreyt. "The first contamination - the visitor's contact - occurred in the first half of July," she continues. “The high-risk contacts of the first infected resident were immediately quarantined and tested.” The affected department accommodates people with dementia, making quarantine difficult. When it emerged that there were multiple infections, the facility rolled out testing and isolation. "A total of 21 residents and seven staff members were infected.
"Everyone was tested again Tuesday, with negative results. If the situation remains the same next Tuesday, the precautionary measures will probably be lifted," said Ria Vandenreyt. Meanwhile, research continues to confirm the origin of the outbreak. "This is an exceptional case," adds Ria Vandereyt. "At the moment, nine outbreaks have been detected in nursing and care homes (in Flanders), four of which with more than five residents infected." Of the nine outbreaks identified, 13 residents died, including seven in Zaventem.
https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/soc...n-nouveau-variant-VAXZMYBBY5B25ALQQEQNVBFMTM/
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Should we fear the "Colombian variant" which caused the death of seven people vaccinated in a Belgian nursing home?
The death of seven vaccinated residents of a nursing home caused much ink to flow on Friday, August 6. Experts have provided some explanations as to the "Colombian variant" at the origin of the contaminations which caused the death of the elderly.
Should we fear the "Colombian variant" which caused the death of seven people vaccinated in a Belgian nursing home?
Posted on 06-08-2021 at 2:03 p.m. - Updated 06-08-2021 at 10:56 p.m.
Seven residents of a Zaventem nursing home lost their lives in less than two weeks following contamination with the coronavirus. A new variant, said Colombian, is at the origin of the infection which caused the death of the seven people who were nevertheless fully vaccinated. The news caused some concern among the Belgian population, but also among our French neighbors. While the vaccination campaign continues its course, should we fear that this new mutation will undermine our efforts? The experts wanted to be reassuring on the subject.
Indeed, as Marc Van Ranst recalled, other contaminations were detected among the staff of the nursing home. "But no staff member was hospitalized", said the virologist from KULeuven to our colleagues from Het Nieuwsblad . " This indicates that the vaccine is working ." Same story with the biostatistician Geert Molenberghs (KULeuven / UHasselt), who recalls that other deaths have unfortunately already been noted in the vaccinated population of nursing homes. "These people are often already weakened, and then any virus is more quickly fatal ", he explained to the Flemish daily.
A variant "to follow"
The two Belgian scientists therefore wanted to be reassuring about the dangerousness of the "Colombian variant" (it has not yet received an official name). "It seems unlikely to me that it is stronger than the delta, " said Marc Van Ranst. " According to British research, there is no reason to believe that it is more contagious, pathogenic or fatal. " The virologist still called to keep an eye on the mutation. The WHO has also classified it in the category of "to follow" variants.
What do we know about its presence in Belgium?
If the variant was detected for the first time in January in Colombia, it was not until June that it entered our territory. Twenty outbreaks of contamination have been observed since then, which remains a lower figure compared to what is happening in countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom where the Colombian variant is more widespread.
https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/soc...on-de-repos-belge-V6B5L32AZBA6DIPWXJAJASEOZY/
by Reuters
Friday, 6 August 2021 16:15 GMT
Aug 6 (Reuters) - Seven residents of a nursing home in Belgium have died after being infected with a lineage of the coronavirus first detected in Colombia despite being fully vaccinated, the virology team that conducted tests said on Friday.
The virology team said the residents had been infected with the B.1.621 lineage of COVID-19 that originated in Colombia and has been detected in recent weeks in the United States but cases in Europe have been rare.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has listed the B1.621 lineage as part of the Kappa variant of the coronavirus, but not as a variant itself.
The seven people who died at the nursing home in the Belgian town of Zaventem, near Brussels, were all in their 80s or 90s, and some of them were already in a poor physical condition, said Marc Van Ranst, a virologist at the University of Leuven which conducted tests on the virus found at the nursing home.
...
https://news.trust.org/item/20210806161616-xnr99/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Translation Google
Seven residents of a Belgian nursing home die after being infected with a new variant: a visitor probably at the origin of the outbreak
...
Belga
Posted on 06-08-2021 at 8:58 - Updated 06-08-2021 at 10:56 p.m.
The first two infections were detected on July 16, in a department for patients with dementia, which had been quarantined and subjected to all necessary measures. In total, 20 contaminations had been revealed, but all were confined to this service.
Of the seven patients who died, some were already in poor health, while others were doing relatively well.
The 20 infected residents, but also all the staff - with the exception of one student - had been vaccinated. "We have no idea how the virus entered the service," regrets the head of care and human resources of the establishment, Kathleen Boydens.
Research carried out by a team from KU Leuven showed that it was the Colombian variant of the coronavirus, new and still not very present in Belgium. "We know that this new variant has been in Belgium since the end of June, but in a very low percentage", explains virologist Marc Van Ranst. Twenty outbreaks of contamination have been identified concerning this variant, which must be followed very carefully, according to the expert, because it has already appeared in other countries as well. "An investigation carried out in England has shown that this variant is no more pathogenic than those we already know, but it is still too early to make definitive statements.
A visitor probably at the origin of the detected outbreak
A visitor is probably behind the outbreak of coronavirus detected at the Ter Burg rest and care home in Zaventem, where seven vaccinated residents died after contracting the virus, the Flemish Health Care Agency said on Friday.
"The person in question was asymptomatic. She had visited the nursing home a few days before performing a positive test," explains the agency door Ria Vandenreyt. "The first contamination - the visitor's contact - occurred in the first half of July," she continues. “The high-risk contacts of the first infected resident were immediately quarantined and tested.” The affected department accommodates people with dementia, making quarantine difficult. When it emerged that there were multiple infections, the facility rolled out testing and isolation. "A total of 21 residents and seven staff members were infected.
"Everyone was tested again Tuesday, with negative results. If the situation remains the same next Tuesday, the precautionary measures will probably be lifted," said Ria Vandenreyt. Meanwhile, research continues to confirm the origin of the outbreak. "This is an exceptional case," adds Ria Vandereyt. "At the moment, nine outbreaks have been detected in nursing and care homes (in Flanders), four of which with more than five residents infected." Of the nine outbreaks identified, 13 residents died, including seven in Zaventem.
https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/soc...n-nouveau-variant-VAXZMYBBY5B25ALQQEQNVBFMTM/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Should we fear the "Colombian variant" which caused the death of seven people vaccinated in a Belgian nursing home?
The death of seven vaccinated residents of a nursing home caused much ink to flow on Friday, August 6. Experts have provided some explanations as to the "Colombian variant" at the origin of the contaminations which caused the death of the elderly.
Should we fear the "Colombian variant" which caused the death of seven people vaccinated in a Belgian nursing home?
Posted on 06-08-2021 at 2:03 p.m. - Updated 06-08-2021 at 10:56 p.m.
Seven residents of a Zaventem nursing home lost their lives in less than two weeks following contamination with the coronavirus. A new variant, said Colombian, is at the origin of the infection which caused the death of the seven people who were nevertheless fully vaccinated. The news caused some concern among the Belgian population, but also among our French neighbors. While the vaccination campaign continues its course, should we fear that this new mutation will undermine our efforts? The experts wanted to be reassuring on the subject.
Indeed, as Marc Van Ranst recalled, other contaminations were detected among the staff of the nursing home. "But no staff member was hospitalized", said the virologist from KULeuven to our colleagues from Het Nieuwsblad . " This indicates that the vaccine is working ." Same story with the biostatistician Geert Molenberghs (KULeuven / UHasselt), who recalls that other deaths have unfortunately already been noted in the vaccinated population of nursing homes. "These people are often already weakened, and then any virus is more quickly fatal ", he explained to the Flemish daily.
A variant "to follow"
The two Belgian scientists therefore wanted to be reassuring about the dangerousness of the "Colombian variant" (it has not yet received an official name). "It seems unlikely to me that it is stronger than the delta, " said Marc Van Ranst. " According to British research, there is no reason to believe that it is more contagious, pathogenic or fatal. " The virologist still called to keep an eye on the mutation. The WHO has also classified it in the category of "to follow" variants.
What do we know about its presence in Belgium?
If the variant was detected for the first time in January in Colombia, it was not until June that it entered our territory. Twenty outbreaks of contamination have been observed since then, which remains a lower figure compared to what is happening in countries such as the United States or the United Kingdom where the Colombian variant is more widespread.
https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/soc...on-de-repos-belge-V6B5L32AZBA6DIPWXJAJASEOZY/