London, Thanasis Gavos
Scientists have detected a new variant of the coronavirus with an “unusual concentration of mutations”.
The origin of the B.1.1529 variant is Botswana, while at least four different strains have been identified in sub-Saharan Africa.
In all, only ten cases have been identified so far, the first in Botswana followed by two more, six in South Africa and one in Hong Kong, in a body returning from a trip to South Africa.
Scientists in Britain and the United States have reported that the variant contains 32 different mutations, some of which theoretically make it highly contagious and more resistant to vaccines. At the same time, it has more modifications in the spike protein, with which the virus penetrates the body, than any other variant.
Professor François Balot, a geneticist at the UCL in London, estimated that the new variant probably arose through a chronic infection in a patient with a weakened immune system, possibly in an undiagnosed HIV carrier.
Dr. Tom Pickock, a virologist at Imperial College, described the combination of mutations in the variant as “horrible.” He warned that it has the potential to prove to be a worse variant than any other so far, even from the prevailing Indian Delta variant.
However, according to other scientists who have spoken to the British media, it is too early to cause much concern, as they estimate that the many mutations may make the strain of the virus “unstable”, not ultimately favoring its widespread spread.
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