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An article from the international chain AlJazeera highlighted the investigation by Chilean scientists on a possible mutation of the coronavirus in the Magallanes Region, especially after the area experienced a second wave of unusually more contagious infections in recent weeks.
“Questions have been raised as the remote Magallanes region, which accounts for just one percent of the country’s population, has reported nearly 20 percent of Chile’s total cases so far, suggesting a possible mutation of the new virus.” notes the publication that further notes that while these mutations have already been observed elsewhere, researchers have yet to understand what their effect is in humans.
“At the beginning of this week, the number of people who tested positive in Magallanes was the same as here in the capital, except that Magallanes has the lowest population density in the country, 170,000 compared to eight million in Santiago,” explained Lucia Newman from Al Jazeera.
“Experts say there could be many reasons, including the weather, but they cannot rule out that the new virus chain is the main culprit,” he added.
It is worth mentioning that studies outside of Chile have also indicated that the coronavirus can evolve as it adapts to its human hosts.
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