The strain first discovered in England, which can be 30 percent more deadly than other varieties, has spread to more than 50 countries.
The coronavirus variant, first recorded in South East England, is likely to “conquer the world” and become the most dominant global strain, says the head of the UK genetic surveillance program, over concerns about emerging mutations of the virus.
Since its discovery in September in Kent, a county known as the ‘Garden of England’ and popular with commuters for its proximity to London, variant B.1.1.7 has spread to more than 50 countries.
The tension sparked enough concern to force another national lockdown in the UK and has sparked global panic.
Experts have said it can be up to 70 percent more contagious and about 30 percent more deadly than other variants.
After being torn across the UK and ribbed outward, the Kent variety was now on track to “in all likelihood take over the world,” Sharon Peacock, director of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium, told Thursday. the BBC.
She also warned that while COVID-19 vaccines have so far proven effective against the B.1.1.7 variant and other virus strains present in the UK, further mutations could potentially undermine the shots.
“What’s disturbing about this is that the 1.1.7 variant that we’ve had in circulation for several weeks and months is starting to mutate again and get new mutations that could affect the way we interact with the virus in terms of immunity and effectiveness of vaccines, ‘said Peacock.
“Worryingly, the 1.1.7, which is more transmissible, that has engulfed the country, is now mutating to have this new mutation that could threaten vaccination.”
New ‘variant of concern’ discovered in England
The new mutation referred to by Peacock, first identified in Bristol, South West England, has since been identified as a “variant of concern” by the UK Advisory Group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats.
There are 21 cases of that variant so far, which has what is called an E484K mutation. Scientists believe the E484K mutation can help the coronavirus evade antibodies, potentially reducing vaccine efficacy.
“You have to be realistic that this particular mutation has now emerged in our kind of community garden line, at least five times – five times separately. And so this will keep popping up, ”Peacock said.
‘As soon as we recover [the virus] or it mutates itself because it is virulent and causes disease – then we don’t have to worry about it anymore. But I think if we look into the future, we will be doing this for years to come. We are still going to do this in 10 years from now. “
The mutation occurs on the spike protein of the virus and is the same change detected in other emerging strains detected in South Africa and Brazil – known by scientists as 20I / 501Y.V2 or B.1.351 and P., respectively. 1.
Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from the capital, London, said Peacock’s warning was further evidence that the fight against COVID-19 is likely to be a “long-term project”.
“It doesn’t mean this will be an acute public health crisis for so long, because different strains of the coronavirus have different consequences,” he said.
“Not all are more deadly, and once you get the hang of the virus, they all go away like a public health crisis, but you need to stay on top of the new variants as they emerge so that the vaccines you use are as effective as possible. can stay ”.
The coronavirus has killed more than 2.3 million people and turned normal life upside down for billions since the pandemic broke out in December 2019.
The UK has registered nearly four million cases and the virus has killed more than 115,000 people, one of the world’s highest death tolls.