Four nurses in Amsterdam test positive for UK coronavirus mutation

Four nurses at Amsterdam UMC were diagnosed with the British variant of the coronavirus. Four other nurses also tested positive for the coronavirus, but it is not yet clear if they also have the British B117 mutation, the hospital said on Friday.

The B117 mutation of SARS-CoV-2 does not seem to have an influence on the severity of the disease, but researchers think it is about 56 percent more contagious than the strain active in the Netherlands.

Before the Amsterdam nurses, nine people linked to a school near Rotterdam got the B117 mutation of the coronavirus, five in Amsterdam, and one in Nijmegen. As far as is known, most had no connection to the United Kingdom.

According to Amsterdam UMC, all the infected nurses work at the orthopedics and traumatology department at the AMC location. No patients in this department were infected with the B117 variant. "However, patients who are now admitted to the ward will be informed by letter what is going on."

The hospital is also taking steps to increase compliance with basic infection prevention measures in the department. And all employees of the department will be tested twice a week.