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JEDDAH: A new mutant strain of the coronavirus threatens the global fight to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new strain causes the same medical conditions as the original, but is 70 percent more infectious. It has been identified in the UK, several other European countries, Australia and South Africa, and the British health minister said Sunday that it was “out of control”.
The new threat emerged just as the introduction of various vaccines developed in the US, Britain and China raised hopes around the world that the COVID-19 pandemic could be defeated. Scientists in the UK are now studying the mutant strain to establish whether it is resistant to vaccines, but it will be at least two weeks before they have a definitive result.
However, they are optimistic. Patrick Vallance, the UK government’s chief scientific adviser, said the new strain contained 23 differences, including the way the virus attaches to human cells and enters cells.
Simon Clarke, associate professor of cell microbiology at the University of Reading, said the mutation affected the “spike protein” that embeds the coronavirus and gives it its name.
“If we look at the changes that those mutations make in the spike protein, which is the target of the vaccine, we don’t think they are enough to change the efficacy of the vaccine,” he said.
British scientists first discovered the new variant in a patient in September. Susan Hopkins of Public Health England said the new strain was behind a cluster of cases in Kent that spread to London and Essex, and informed the British government on December 11.
Public Health England notified the government again last Friday when modeling revealed the full severity of the new strain, it said.
He confirmed that the new strain of the virus could be 70 percent more transmissible. “I think 70 percent seems like a good number to land on right now,” he said. The virus has been found in all regions of England, but in small numbers, he said.
Countries around the world began closing their borders to UK travelers on Sunday amid fears the mutant strain could spread. Kuwait, Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands were the first to impose flight bans and other travel restrictions. Germany has also restricted flights from South Africa.
“The COVID variant recently discovered in London is worrying and should be investigated by our scientists,” said Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza.
“In the meantime, we choose the path of utmost caution.”
In the UK, there was widespread anger after Prime Minister Boris Johnson reversed an earlier promise and said millions must cancel Christmas plans and stay home from Sunday morning due to the new strain of the virus.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that strict lockdown measures affecting nearly a third of England’s population will remain in effect until the vaccines are fully introduced.
“Unfortunately, the new strain was out of control,” he said. “We have to get it under control.”
The situation was “deadly dire,” Hancock said. “It will be very difficult to keep it under control until we have the vaccine. This is what we will face in the coming months. “
Oxford Street in London, usually packed with Christmas shoppers, was almost deserted on Sunday. Some passersby said they supported the new blocking measures.
“It was necessary to do it before and making crazy promises has not helped the situation at all,” said David, a 59-year-old man who works in insurance.
But Richard Charles, a 32-year-old service industry worker, said the move was hasty. “It shouldn’t be some kind of dictation that happens overnight,” he said.
