Seven COVID descendants with the same mutation have been spotted in the US, causing concern among scientists

03:06 GMT 15.02.2021Get a short URL

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In recent months, several new COVID strains have surfaced, particularly from the UK and South Africa, making the coronavirus infection more contagious and raising new concerns in many countries about the vaccine’s efficacy and limitations.

Scientists have discovered a number of new lines of the coronavirus that appear to be subject to a similar mutation in the United States, a study published Sunday shows.

The research team identified seven lineages, all of which have a mutation in the same place in their genes, raising concerns about whether the mutation could affect the degree of coronavirus infectivity.

Independent genomic surveillance programs in New Mexico and Louisiana simultaneously detected the rapid increase in numerous clade 20G infections (line B.1.2) with a Q677P substitution in S [spike protein]said the summary of the study.

There is no clear evidence that the mutation could affect the way COVID-19 is spread among humans, but Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and a co-author of the new study, suggests, quoted by The New York Times, that “there is clearly something going on with this mutation.”

“I think there is a clear signature of an evolutionary advantage,” said Dr. Kamil.

Suggestions were also made that the mutation could affect the way the virus enters human cells, although researchers have indicated that additional experimental data is needed.

In recent months, several new strains of coronavirus have been detected around the world, particularly from the UK and South Africa, which are known to be more contagious.

While it is ultimately unclear what impact the new variants will have on the pandemic, Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor announced on Sunday that a first-ever test system for the British variant has been registered in the country.

“The new technology can be used to develop reagents to detect other SARS-CoV-2 mutations, as well as other infectious pathogens that require rapid mass testing (pandemic infections),” said Rospotrebnadzor.