Noosa News
World-first mutated strain of COVID-19 detected on Sofrana Surville ship off Queensland coast
Crew members on a cargo ship forced to anchor off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast were infected with a mutated strain of coronavirus undetected elsewhere in the world, health officials say.
Key points:
- Five cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the Sofrana Surville ship, including two crew members
- Genomic testing of the virus shows the strain has never been recorded before
- New Zealand health authorities say the virus is 12 mutations away from other strains
The Liberian-flagged Sofrana Surville and its 19 crew were stopped from docking at the Port of Brisbane after arriving in Queensland waters in late October via New Caledonia.
Eight crew had joined the ship in New Zealand at the Port of Auckland on October 13 from the Philippines, the same day…
Continue Reading
