An outbreak of the South African corona variant in Tyrol is causing unrest in Austria. The government has issued a travel warning for the area popular with winter sports enthusiasts.
Holidaymakers who have been there in the past two weeks are asked to have themselves tested.
The authorities are calling on people to avoid the state as much as possible. “Everything possible must be done to prevent these mutations from spreading further,” said Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. People are also urged to have themselves tested before travelling from Tyrol to other parts of the country.
Experts say nearly 300 cases of the South African corona variety have been diagnosed in the area.
This mutation is seen as more contagious and may also be more resistant to some vaccines. South Africa announced on Sunday that it would not be vaccinated with the corona vaccine from AstraZeneca for the time being because it would be less effective against the new variant.
Last week, a prominent virologist had suggested locking Tyrol for a month. Dorothee von Laer argued that the regional authorities did not act quickly enough. She warned of a “second Ischgl”, a reference to the ski resort where thousands of tourists were reportedly infected with the coronavirus last year.