A heavily-mutated Covid variant emerges in southern Africa: Here’s what we know so far
- The variant known as B.1.1.529 has been detected in small numbers in South Africa, WHO officials said.
- South African scientist Tulio de Oliveira said in a media briefing that the variant contains more than 30 mutations to the spike protein, the component of the virus that binds to cells.
- The U.K. immediately moved to ban flights from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
- Francois Balloux, an epidemiologist and director of University College London’s Genetics Institute, told the BBC on Friday that the early discovery of the variant could render it easier to contain.
The World Health Organization will meet on Friday to discuss a new
heavily-mutated variant of Covid-19.
The variant known as B.1.1.529 has been detected in small numbers in South Africa, WHO officials said, with reports on Friday morning of cases being found in Israel and Hong Kong.
Here’s what we know so far:
Multiple mutations
South African scientist Tulio de Oliveira said in a media briefing held by the South Africa Department of Health on Thursday that the variant contains a “unique constellation” of more than 30 mutations to the spike protein, the component of the virus that binds to cells. This is significantly more than those of the delta variant.
Many of these mutations are linked to increased antibody resistance, which may affect how the virus behaves with regard to vaccines, treatments and transmissibility, health officials have said.
In total, de Oliveira said the variant contains around 50 mutations. The receptor binding domain (the part of the virus that first makes contact with cells) has 10 mutations, far greater than just two for the delta Covid variant, which spread rapidly earlier this year to become the dominant strain worldwide.
This level of mutation means it’s possible that it came from a single patient who could not clear the virus, giving it the chance to genetically evolve. The same hypothesis was proposed for the alpha Covid variant.
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