Covid-19 ‘Kappa’ variant wreaking havoc in Victoria of great concern to Qld, Health Minister says

The aggressive strain of COVID-19 wreaking havoc in Melbourne is of “great concern” in Queensland, making the vaccine rollout more important than ever.

The aggressive strain of Covid wreaking havoc in Melbourne has Queensland authorities on high alert.

Victoria’s health authorities on Wednesday extended the state’s lockdown for an extra seven days, describing the variant that has so far infected 61 people as a “beast”.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, speaking in Townsville to spruik the city’s hosting rights of State of Origin, said the virus variant was of “great concern”.

“We are hearing unlike what we have seen around the rest of the country with past community transmission,” she said.

“But let’s be clear, this is why these restrictions are in place – social distancing, hand hygiene, staying home when you’re unwell, the social distancing in venues – it’s because we know outdoors at events we can track, we can trace easily.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Among the cases now causing the greatest concern is a person that may have caught Covid-19 two hours after entering a room where an infectious person had been, as well as another case transmitted at an outdoor dining area.

The Indian B1617.1 strain, known officially as the Kappa variant, is more infectious than anything Victorian authorities had seen in 2020 and unlike any strain Queensland has experienced.

Exactly how infectious the Kappa strain can be is not yet known UNSW infectious disease expert Professor Raina Macintyre said, though early data shows it is more contagious than the UK “Alpha” strain.

Prof Macintyre said the variant also has a particular mutation that appears to make it more resistant to vaccines, but to what degree is also not yet understood.

The Kappa strain is still not the most infectious strain of Covid-19 around, with the Delta strain — another mutation of the original Indian variant — to blame for the major wave in the UK.

UQ infectious disease physician Dr Paul Griffin.

University of Queensland infectious disease physician Dr Paul Griffin said while vaccine efficacy might be “slightly diminished” with the Kappa strain, getting as many people vaccinated as possible was still the best protection.

He said it was clear vaccines curbed the chances of passing on Covid-19 by reducing the amount of virus an infected person was shedding and the duration of how long people are sick.

It comes as one of Queensland’s 14 community vaccination hubs opened to little fanfare this week.

The Courier-Mail was told at least 200 people had been vaccinated at the Rocklea Showgrounds hub within the first three and a half hours of opening.

A nurse prepares a syringe of the Pfizer-BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine. Picture: AFP

The hub is offering both walk-ins and online booking for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs but appointments are advised due to stock levels onsite.

Those aged under 50 and some eligible over-50s were being administered Pfizer, but all others were given AstraZeneca.

Lea, 19, from St Lucia yesterday received her second dose of Pfizer after receiving her first in Sydney due to a medical condition which makes her more vulnerable to Covid.

“It was fine it was a bit swollen and tender but other than that fine. It gives me much more comfort,” she said.

Queensland’s state-run vaccination program hit a consecutive daily record of 8488 doses in the 24 hours to Wednesday.