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New mutation of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 first appeared in Great Britain and on Sunday it became known that it was also detected in GreeceAlthough it is more easily transmitted, it does not appear to cause a more serious Covid 19 disease than other mutations in the virus, according to a new study by British scientists.
An alarm has been raised in the health authorities and the government of Greece, after the revelation that in four cases of coronavirus the new virus has been detected mutant strain of SARS-CoV-2. The unknown, as in the first appearance of the coronavirus in general on the planet, is what scares, but scientists remain reassuring.
What is different, of course, is the easier transmission of the virus, but also its more frequent spread among children, something that until now was not the case. Various studies and studies have already been conducted, which explain what is true with mutant strain of coronavirus.
What we need to know about the mutant strain
The English Public Health Organization Study England Public Health compared 1,769 people infected with the new mutation, with an equal number of people infected with other strains of coronavirus.
The two groups, with a median age of 35 years, had great similarities in terms of age, sex, place of residence and time of diagnostic test.
Of the 42 people admitted to the hospital, 16 (0.9%) belonged to the first group of the new mutation, while 26 to the second (1.5%). Regarding the severity of the infection, which was studied in 1,340 and 1,360 people in the two groups, respectively, there were no significant differences, since 12 people died in the first group (0.89%), compared with ten in the second (0.73%).
“Preliminary study results found no statistically significant difference in hospitalization and mortality over a 28-day period between the two groups,” the researchers concluded, according to Reuters.
Likewise, no significant difference was found, regarding the possibility of reinfection with the new mutation, in relation to the rest (two cases in the first group versus three in the second).
On the other hand, according to the RES – EIA, the rate of secondary infections or the proportion of close contacts of confirmed cases who later infect themselves, is higher in the case of those infected with the new coronavirus mutation (15.1%), compared to the other mutations (9.8%), indicating an increase in the transmissibility of the new mutation.
What the ECDC says about the new mutation
Meanwhile, the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) has published a new report on the risk of spreading the new mutation in Europe.
Among other things, the ECDC report it is mentioned that:
- Viruses are constantly mutating, so the appearance of new mutations in the coronavirus is to be expected and in itself is not a cause for concern, since SARS-CoV-2 is no exception.
- Many thousands of new coronavirus mutations are already circulating in the world and more will occur in the future, most of which are unlikely to have the least impact on the spread or severity of the disease.
- As of December 28, the new mutation (VOC 202012/01) was found in 13 European countries and another 11 outside Europe. Not all cases were associated with travel to / from Great Britain, so continued international circulation of the mutation can no longer be ruled out. More cases are expected to be announced in the coming weeks (yes, the United States has just found the first case in Colorado). So far it has not been located in Greece.
- Another mutation (501.V2) has also been found in Europe, which is associated with travel to South Africa, but to a much lesser extent (only two confirmed cases in Great Britain and one in Finland).
- Many studies are underway to answer the hitherto unanswered questions about new mutations, such as their impact on the course of the disease and the efficacy of vaccines.
- European countries are called upon to carry out genetic analysis of representative samples of people who have been positively diagnosed with coronavirus, in order to detect new mutations in time. Also continue to monitor abrupt changes in Covid-19 contagion or severity. Also, recommend avoiding all unnecessary travel to and from countries with many cases of the new mutation.
ECDC Chief Scientist Mike Catspol said: “Although there is no evidence that the newly detected mutations cause more serious diseases, preliminary findings suggest that they may be more contagious.
There is a high risk that these new mutations will spread further in Europe, causing more hospitalizations and deaths, as well as greater pressure on health systems. Therefore, measures such as the continuation of non-pharmacological interventions, as well as the improvement of surveillance, diagnosis, follow-up and detection mechanisms ”.
News from Greece and the world, as it happens, on Newsbomb.gr.
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