The World Health Organization (WHO) has said in a report that at least four types of coronavirus variants are circulating the world since the first case of the infection was reported in Wuhan, China, in November 2019. WHO said since the beginning of the pandemic, the UN health agency has received several reports of unusual public health events that are possibly due to variants of SARS-CoV-2.
WHO said a SARS-CoV-2 variant with a D614G substitution in the gene encoding the spike protein emerged in late January or early February 2020. Over a period of several months, the D614G mutation replaced the initial strain of SARS-CoV-2. which was identified in China.
By June 2020, the WHO said, the mutation became a more dominant form of coronavirus circulating worldwide.
Studies have indicated that the second strain with the D614G substitution has increased infectivity and transmission compared to the initial strain of the virus. However, the mutation “does not cause more serious disease or alter the effectiveness of existing laboratory diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, or preventive public health measures.”
After the second variant was reported, another variant of the coronavirus was reported in August and September 2020 that was linked to infection among farm minks that were subsequently transmitted to humans. The fresh variant of the coronavirus, named “Cluster 5”, was identified in North Jutland, Denmark.
“Due to preliminary studies conducted in Denmark, there is concern that this variant may result in reduced virus neutralization in humans, potentially reducing the extent and duration of immune protection after infection. natural or vaccination “. the WHO report said.
In September 2020, authorities identified only 12 human cases of the Cluster 5 variant.
On December 14, 2020, the The UK government reported a variant, named SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01. Interestingly, the variant was not phylogenetically related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has been circulating in the UK at the time the variant was detected. It is unclear how and where the SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01 originated.
Overtime, more cases of variant coronavirus they have been detected throughout the UK. As of December 30, variant VOC-202012/01 has been reported in another 31 countries / territories / areas in five of the six WHO regions.
On December 18, South Africa announced the detection of a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that is spreading rapidly in three provinces of the country. South Africa has named this variant 501Y.V2.
“While SARS-CoV-2 VOC 202012/01 from the UK also has the N501Y mutation, phylogenetic analysis has shown that 501Y.V2 from South Africa are different variants of the virus. In the week starting November 16, the South African health authorities conducted routine sequencing found that this new variant of SARS-CoV-2 has largely replaced other SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. ” said the WHO report.
The variant that was reported in South Africa has been reported from four other countries to date.
