Another strain of coronavirus discovered in Africa

African health authorities have detected a new variant of the coronavirus in a passenger who traveled from Tanzania to Angola.

The African Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that the variant has about 40 mutations.

CDC chief John Nkengasong said at a press conference on Thursday that "it is certainly a variant of concern," reports Hina.

Tanzania does not publish data on those infected with the coronavirus, so the variant cannot be tracked.

The late President John Magufuli, who died recently, opposed the fight against the coronavirus.

Nkengasong said it is not yet known whether existing vaccines will be effective against that variant of the virus.

He warned that Africa is on the way to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

British and South African variants of the virus have been confirmed in 18 African countries, according to the CDC.

Nkengasong welcomed Johnson & Johnson's decision to manufacture its vaccine in South Africa.

The company has agreed to deliver 220 million doses of the vaccine, with the possibility of an additional 180 million, most of which will be produced in the Republic of South Africa.