A new Covid-19 variant was discovered in South Africa and is spreading rapidly in parts of the country. South Africa’s Health Minister announced last Thursday the discovery of the new coronavirus strain – B.1.1.529. It’s unclear where it first emerged. So far, it has been detected in South Africa, Botswana and in a traveller to Hong Kong from South Africa. Genomic scientists said the variant has an unusual high number of mutations, with more than 30 in the spike protein, the structure the virus uses to get into the cells.