Scientists have discovered a new coronavirus variant in South Africa and a number of other countries, and it could be more infectious and evade vaccines.
The new study unveiled the new variant C.1.2, which is a descendant of the C.1 variant that was originally discovered in January 2021.
This is different than the South Africa variant — which is known as the B.1.351 variant — that made headlines in April. That variant is widely known as the beta variant, according to the World Health Organization.
The C.1 and C.1.2 variants are not listed as a variant of interest or concern by the World Health Organization.
But C.1.2 had “mutated substantially” compared to its predecessor, and has several different mutations compared to the original version of the coronavirus that was discovered in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, according to the study.
The mutations “are associated with increased transmissibility” and has the ability to evade current COVID-19 vaccines, according to Bloomberg.
“It is important to highlight this lineage given its concerning constellation of mutations, the researchers said in the study, which came from researchers at South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
In fact, the virus has more mutations than any variant of concern or interest that has been discovered across the world.
C.1.2 has already made its way to England, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Say Whaaaat?? Who would have thunk...... Can't fix stupid or something like that.
