In South Africa, a new variant of the recently identified coronavirus is being investigated. The mutant is a major concern, raising fears that South Africa will be hit by a serious fourth wave of infection and could spread to the world.
This variant, called “B.1.1529” until the Greek letter was added, has an unusually large number of mutations, “extremely distinctly different” from previous examples, Turio, who studies bioinformatics.・ Mr. De Oliveira explained at the briefing on the 25th. He runs a genetic information sequence analysis institution at two South African universities.
South Africa’s Health Minister Fara said in the same place that “it is a mutant strain that raises serious concerns.”
Virgologists have identified about 100 cases of infections associated with the mutant in the country so far, said Ann von Gottberg of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NICD) in South Africa.
The mutant has also been found in Botswana. World Health Organization (WHO) officials have met to discuss the variant.
news-rsf-original-reference paywall">Original title:
news-rsf-original-reference paywall">New Coronavirus Variant a ‘Serious Concern’ in South Africa（抜粋）
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