A variant of the coronavirus first detected in South Africa “could be more infectious” than other mutations and have the potential to “evade vaccines,” the scientists said.
The C.1.2 strain, which is linked to “increased transmissibility,” is further away from the original virus seen in Wuhan, experts from the South African National Institute of Communicable Diseases and the Innovation Platform said and KwaZulu-Natal research sequencing.
The virus was first identified by scientists in South Africa in May and has since been found in England, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland.
In their study, the scientists found that the strain, which descends from the C.1 strain that was first detected in the middle of the first wave of the pandemic, has a mutation rate of about 41.8 mutations in the year.
Strain C.1.2, which descends from strain C.1 that was first detected in the middle of the first wave of the pandemic, has a mutation rate of about 41.8 mutations per year
This rate is almost double the current global mutation rate seen in any other variant of concern (VOC) so far.
During their study, researchers found a monthly increase in the number of C.1.2 genomes in South Africa, from 0.2% in May to 1.6% in June and 2.0% in July.
This short period of constant increase has also been detected in the Alpha, Beta and Gamma variants.
The scientists also found 14 mutations in almost 50% of the variants that had a C.1.2 sequence.
Although more research is needed “to determine the functional impact of these mutations,” the scientists warned that the latest variant, which “has mutated substantially,” could help the virus bypass antibodies and immune responses.
In their report, published in the journal Nature, the scientists said, “We describe and characterize a newly identified SARS-CoV-2 lineage with several peak mutations that are likely to have appeared in a major southern metropolitan area. -Africa after the first wave of the epidemic, and then spread to various locations within two neighboring provinces.
‘We show that this lineage has expanded rapidly and become dominant in three provinces, at the same time as there has been a rapid resurgence of infections.
‘Although the full import of mutations is not yet clear, genomic and epidemiological data suggest that this variant has a selective advantage: increased transmissibility, immune leakage, or both.
“These data highlight the urgent need to refocus the public health response in South Africa to drive transmission to low levels, not only to reduce hospitalizations and deaths, but also to limit the spread of this. lineage and subsequent evolution of the virus “.
Earlier this month, a report published by Public Health England said strain C.1.2 was among ten variants that scientists controlled in the UK.
In April, scientists found another South African strain, called B.1.351, that had the potential to “break” the Pfizer speck.
The scientists examined 400 people who had tested positive for coronavirus at least 14 days after receiving one or two doses of the punch and 400 who tested positive without the vaccine.
The variant was eight times more common in those who had twice as many strokes. It was observed in 5.4% of people with two doses, but in 0.7% of people without any dose.
Scientists working on the Tel Aviv University study said their results suggested that the vaccine is less effective against the South African variant, compared to the original coronavirus and the Kent variant.
B.1.351 has key mutations in its spike protein that scientists fear may make it difficult to recognize the immune system.
These alterations open the door for it to be resistant to vaccines, which train the body to detect ear protein or natural immunity against the previous infection.
Last month, health chiefs detected another variant of Covid that was spreading in Britain, with 31 mutant strains on the UK watch list.
Experts detected sixteen cases of version B.1.621 of the virus, which is believed to have originated in Colombia.
Public Health England insisted there was no evidence that it was more deadly than Delta, which accounts for 99% of all cases in the UK.
And they also said there was no evidence to show that the strain makes any of the vaccines currently deployed less effective.
The latest study comes when the UK recorded 61 more deaths from Covid and 33,196 more cases on Sunday, according to official data.
The number of new cases represents an increase of 3% compared to new daily cases compared to last Sunday, which stood at 32,253, while only 49 deaths were recorded daily.
Infections in the last seven days increased by 5.8% the previous week and weekly deaths increased by 16%.
This means that the new positive test rate for the last seven days is 240,528, while the number of deaths in the 28 days following the positive test has been 797, an increase of 110.
The death toll on Sundays tends to be lower than on weekdays due to delays by some hospitals in reporting deaths.
Britain currently records about 30,000 Covid cases a day, which SAGE scientists fear will increase when students return to classrooms next week. This time last year there were about 2,000 cases a day.