BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium is analysing two samples of COVID-19 to establish if they are the new coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa, a leading local virologist said on Friday.
Marc Van Ranst, whose laboratory works closely with Belgium’s public health body Sciensano, made the comment on Twitter.
“We are currently analysing two suspicious samples,” Van Ranst said.
Van Ranst later told Reuters that the samples were suspicious because they were not the Delta variant, which accounts for almost all infections in Belgium.
He added the results of the analysis should be known on Friday afternoon.
(Reporting by Marine Strauss and Philip Blenkinsop)
