Coronavirus cases worldwide surpassed 100 million on Wednesday as countries struggled with new ones variants of the virus and a limited supply of vaccines.
The countries most affected are the United States, India, Brazil and Europe. More than 2.1 million people have died from COVID-19, according to information from the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Center.
At this time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is no evidence that new variants of the coronavirus cause more serious illness or increase the risk of death.
However, the CDC adds that scientists are still working to understand how easily new forms can spread. They also want to find out if they can cause more serious illnesses or if currently approved vaccines will protect people against them.
Three of the new variants of the coronavirus were found to come from three countries: Britain, South Africa, and Brazil.
B.1.1.7 variant of Great Britain
In the UK, a variant of the coronavirus known as B.1.1.7 was first recognized in September 2020. It spread rapidly to southern Britain, including London. It has since spread to Europe, the United States and Canada.
Healthcare organizations say this variant is spreading more easily and quickly than others. But there is no evidence that they cause more serious illness or a higher risk of death.
Variant 501Y.V2 from South Africa
In South Africa, in early October, another variant called 501Y.V2 was found. There have been cases caused by this variant in 20 countries, including Australia and Canada, but not in the US
The variant is also known as B.1.351 and shares some genetic changes similar to that of Britain. Scientists are concerned that antibodies from a small number of people who had recovered from COVID-19 or received a vaccine were less effective against this variant.
Variant P.1 of Brazil
The P.1 coronavirus variant was first identified in four Brazilian travelers who were tested at Haneda Airport, outside Tokyo, in January. The variant, however, could have been much earlier in Brazil and has spread to many countries, including Germany and South Korea. This week, the U.S. has also confirmed its first case of the variant in Minnesota.
The CDC says early evidence shows that antibodies to a coronavirus infection or vaccine may not have the ability to recognize variant P.1.
What causes variants?
Like other viruses, the CDC says that SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is always changing and has been changing all along. Sometimes new variants appear and disappear. At other times, new variants appear that extend to many countries.
Daniel Rhoads is a microbiologist and pathologist at the Cleveland Clinic. He said: “While that’s worrisome, it’s not really surprising: we’ve been watching it and more or less expecting it.”
Prior to the pandemic, other variants appeared, such as D614G and L452R. However, new variants are receiving attention now because they appear to be spreading more easily and quickly, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. Another concern is whether approved vaccines such as those from Pfizer and BioNTech or Moderna could be effective against them.
Caitlin Rivers is an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. He told the Associated Press, “I’m worried the variants might throw us a curve ball.” This means that the variant can present an unexpected and difficult problem.
The U.S. government’s leading infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said scientists are studying vaccination measures to deal with the new variants.
Modern announced Monday that it is testing an additional amplifier of his vaccine against the new variants. Pfizer, which makes a similar vaccine against COVID-19, said its study shows the shot is effective against the variant in Britain, but questions remain about the encounters in South Africa and Brazil.
U.S. drug maker Johnson and Johnson plans to report its vaccine study next week. The final phase tests are held in the United States, South Africa and Brazil. Scientists hope the results will show how well the new variants work.
What can be done?
The CDC says it is working with other public health agencies monitor the situation up close and look for new variants of COVID-19. It also has field workers to study and research new variants.
The health agency advises that increasing public health measures such as vaccination, physical removal, the use of cloths and hand washing will help limit the spread of new variants.
On Tuesday, the United States announced it had banned travelers from Europe, Britain, Brazil, Ireland and South Africa. Other countries on the shortlist include China and Iran.
In Europe, Belgium has banned all non-essential travel until March. And France may soon begin a third blockade if the 12-hour daily curfew does not delay the spread of new infections.
I’m Mario Ritter, Jr. and I am Jonathan Evans.
Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. he was the editor.
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Words in this story
variant –N. something that differs in some small forms from others in others of the same type
amplifier –N. an additional amount of medication or vaccine that increases disease resistance
monitor –V. to look at or observe closely over time for a special purpose
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