The Mu variant is a version of the coronavirus that was first identified in Colombia in January and has since caused isolated outbreaks in South America, Europe and the United States.
The World Health Organization last month classified it as a “variant of interest” because of concerns that it could make vaccines and treatments less effective, although more testing is needed.
Scientists monitor emerging variants of Covid-19 based on suspicious genetic changes and then look for evidence to determine if the new version is more infectious or causes more serious disease. Viruses are constantly evolving and many new variants often fade away.
To date, the mu variant does not appear to be spreading rapidly: it accounts for less than 1% of Covid-19 cases worldwide. In Colombia, it can be responsible for 39% of cases. Most countries remain concerned about the highly contagious delta variant; it is the dominant variant in almost all 174 countries where it has been detected.
Officials have followed the mu variant in Europe, where it has been seen in a dozen countries. The French Ministry of Health recently said the mu variant “does not appear to have increased recently” across Europe.
A report from the British public health agency last month suggested that the mu variant could be as resistant to vaccines as the worrying beta variant seen for the first time in South Africa, but said more data was needed in the world. real.
WHO officials said the mu variant appears to be increasing in some South American countries, but that the delta variant is still spreading much more easily.
The mu variant “interests us because of the combination of mutations it has,” said Maria Van Kerkhove of the WHO. “But it doesn’t seem to be circulating.”
The United States “ignores it,” but it is not considered an immediate threat, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. expert on infectious diseases.
The World Health Organization last month classified it as a “variant of interest” because of concerns that it could make vaccines and treatments less effective, although more testing is needed.
Scientists monitor emerging variants of Covid-19 based on suspicious genetic changes and then look for evidence to determine if the new version is more infectious or causes more serious disease. Viruses are constantly evolving and many new variants often fade away.
To date, the mu variant does not appear to be spreading rapidly: it accounts for less than 1% of Covid-19 cases worldwide. In Colombia, it can be responsible for 39% of cases. Most countries remain concerned about the highly contagious delta variant; it is the dominant variant in almost all 174 countries where it has been detected.
Officials have followed the mu variant in Europe, where it has been seen in a dozen countries. The French Ministry of Health recently said the mu variant “does not appear to have increased recently” across Europe.
A report from the British public health agency last month suggested that the mu variant could be as resistant to vaccines as the worrying beta variant seen for the first time in South Africa, but said more data was needed in the world. real.
WHO officials said the mu variant appears to be increasing in some South American countries, but that the delta variant is still spreading much more easily.
The mu variant “interests us because of the combination of mutations it has,” said Maria Van Kerkhove of the WHO. “But it doesn’t seem to be circulating.”
The United States “ignores it,” but it is not considered an immediate threat, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. expert on infectious diseases.