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Mexico records first case of new Covid-19 variant

Matamoros, Tamaulipas — The first case of the new Covid-19 variant has been recorded in Mexico. The news was made public Sunday night by José Luis Alomía, the director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health, who reports the carrier is a 56-year-old man.

The man, who landed in Mexico City from Amsterdam on his way to the city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, was found to be positive after performing a mandatory test.

“Mexico joins with the identification of this variant, an imported case identified for the Mexican territory,” said Luis Alomía who said the traveler was asymptomatic during the flight.

The director of epidemiology explained that the man arrived in Matamoros December 29, where he works for an international company. As per company protocol, he was tested in a private clinic upon his return.

When his results came back positive, the National Epidemiological Surveillance System was notified. A second test was ordered by the State Secretary of Health to confirm the result, which was also positive, making him the first known case for the new variant in Mexico.

The Secretary of Health of Tamaulipas, Gloria Molina Gamboa, also confirmed the identification of the new strain of Coronavirus, known as B117, in the international traveler who arrived December 29.

Passengers on the flight from CDMX to Tamaulipas are being monitored since those who occupied the seats around the infected person are considered contacts. Two people who presented symptoms were isolated and PCR tests taken, however, both were negative.

The government reported that there is no evidence of contagion in 31 asymptomatic people who were on the flight, but 21 other passengers are still being searched for as authorities continue to work on identifying travelers who may be infected.