Residents of two German high-rise buildings quarantined after coronavirus variant diagnosis

Residents of two high-rise buildings in Velbert, Germany, were quarantined inside beginning Sunday as authorities try to contain the local spread of a new variant of COVID-19 believed to have originated in India.

Reuters reported the two buildings instituted quarantine procedures for just under 180 residents while local officials work to test all of the residents.

“Suddenly council officials were everywhere and then we were locked in,” a resident of one of the buildings told Reuters, adding, “It’s terrible — I have four children, a very disabled child who needs therapy. … It’s a bit difficult here at the moment.”

The COVID-19 strain believed to have originated in India is thought by health experts to have potential increased resistance to antibodies used in some COVID-19 treatments as well as antibodies that develop naturally in people who survive mild infections; the new variant is therefore thought to be more dangerous to those who previously had milder infections, including younger people.

“There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility,” said a World Health Organization technical lead of the Indian variant earlier this month.

India has faced a massive second wave of infections in recent weeks which has threatened to completely overwhelm the country’s hospital system, where doctors are reporting shortages of beds, oxygen and medical staff.

Germany has seen its rate of new COVID-19 infections drop since the end of April, and recorded just under 5,400 new cases on Monday.