A new COVID-19 mutation has appeared in more than 1,000 infected patients in the UK, and is blamed for a faster spread of the infection.
The country’s health secretary, Matt Hancock, revealed the new variant and said it was behind “very strong exponential rises” in cases in London and the surrounding counties of Kent and Essex.
“We have currently identified more than 1,000 cases with this variant,” he said, noting that initial analysis suggests it is growing faster than existing variants.
Hancock, who ordered stricter closures for the affected areas, said the UK had alerted the World Health Organization and the UN health agency confirmed it was investigating.
British scientists from the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium said they were examining the new strain to see if “any of these mutations contribute to increased transmission”.
As of Dec. 13, it had been detected in 1,108 cases, Public Health England said.
The new variant, which British scientists have called “VUI – 202012/01”, includes a genetic mutation in the “ear” protein.
“Changes in this part of the ear protein can cause the virus to become more infectious and spread more easily among people,” Public Health England noted.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the health charity Wellcome, told the BBC it could be serious, while Alan McNally, an expert at the University of Birmingham, warned that people should not “be hysterical”.
“It does not mean that it is more transmissible, more infectious or dangerous. It’s something that needs to be monitored, “he told the station.
Noting “huge efforts” to study the strain, he said, “It’s important to keep a calm, rational perspective.”
WHO’s chief of emergency, Dr Michael Ryan, said “mutations like this are quite common,” and stressed that so far there is nothing to confirm that it is more deadly or spreads more easily. .
Health Secretary Hancock also insisted that “it is highly unlikely that this new variant will affect the vaccine and the impact of the vaccine.”
Last week, the UK became the first country in the world to start administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
With mail cables