What do we know at the moment about the new variant from South Africa

The new coronavirus strain has been identified as B.1.1.529, located in South Africa, identified in Botswana, and to date 10 cases of this strain have been confirmed, a reason for which the World Health Organization (WHO) holds an extraordinary meeting on Friday .

Outside of South Africa, he has been identified as a Hong Kong traveler who has visited South Africa. The bibliography regarding the new executive was reviewed by the professors of Medicine of EKPA Dimitrios Paraskevi (Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, scientific advisor of EODY), Theokli Zaoutis (Professor of Pediatrics and president of EODYPO)

Although the incidence of B.1.1.529 is very low – three in Botswana, six in South Africa and one in Hong Kong – it is noteworthy that the new strain incorporates 32 mutations in its external protein region, according to EKPA professors.

This makes it theoretically more contagious and more resistant to vaccines.

Currently the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified B.1.1.529 as a “variant under monitoring” strain, which is lower risk than “variants of interest” and “variants of concern” “. The Delta executive belongs to the last group.

European and Asian countries stepped up travel restrictions on Friday following the discovery of a new and possibly vaccine-resistant variant of the coronavirus in South Africa, with the EU, Britain and India among those announcing stricter border controls.

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said the UN technical advisory team and other experts on the virus were talking to South African researchers. Nearly 100 variants of the variant have been reported, and early analysis shows it has “a large number of mutations” that require further study, Lindmeier said.