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AT LEAST 12 different strains of coronavirus spread across the UK in March, including one that has only been found in Britain, according to a SAGE report.
Scientists analyzed the genomes of the deadly virus in 260 infected patients across the country.
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They discovered at least 12 coronavirus strains, one of which has only been found in the UK, meaning it has mutated on British soil.
But the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium conceded that “under-sampling in the UK and elsewhere means that the number of independent introductions of Covid-19 is very likely to be substantially higher.”
The scientists concluded that most of the strains came from Italy and Spain, the most affected countries in the world at the time of the research.
He found that the strains also came from China, the United States, and Australia.
Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said today: “One of the things that seems very clear is that in early March, the UK obtained many different imports of viruses from many different places, and those places were particularly from European countries with sprouts. “
There is no indication that either strain is more potent or infectious than the other.
Professor Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia told the Daily Mail: “There are a number of problems with these strains: are they likely to cause a different severity of the disease? Are they likely to be more infectious? And are they capable of disabling vaccines?
“The answer to all three questions is that we have no idea. There is no suggestion from this study, or any other that I have read, that shows that these strains are more virulent or infectious with each other.”
“But it is possible that a strain could mutate to the point that people with antibodies to an older strain are no longer immune to it.”
Speaking to parliamentarians today, Sir Patrick said he was “optimistic”, another spike can be avoided if “try, track and trace” works and the public sticks to social distancing.
It occurs when more people have died of coronavirus in the UK than in any other country in Europe.
There were a further 693 confirmed Covid-19 deaths recorded across the country today, bringing the grim total to 29,427, more than Italy.
Addressing the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, Sir Patrick said that so far less than one in six Britons have been infected with coronavirus.
The chief scientific adviser said that ten percent of Londoners and four percent of those outside the capital had the error in early April.
But now he expects the number of Britons to test positive for antibodies, which shows they have had the virus and recovered, is no higher than “mid-teens.”
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Sir Patrick said the evidence suggests that the vast majority of people who have had the infection develop “some degree of protection.”
And he said this would probably last “one, two, three years.”
He also admitted that increasing the evidence earlier could have helped save lives.
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