MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th February, 2021) Russia has no samples of Brazilian and South African coronavirus strains as of today, Anna Popova, the head of public health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said on Thursday.
"As of today, there are no samples [of these strains] in Russia. And we are doing everything to ensure that they appear, to study them," Popova told the Rossiya 1 broadcaster.
The public health chief added that Russia's "shield" against new viruses is effective.
Brazil and South Africa have both identified coronavirus strains that are more contagious than standard SARS-CoV-2 variants. Brazilian Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello has said that the Brazilian strain is three times more infections than usual coronavirus variants. The South African variant, first detected last October, also appears to be more contagious.
