The European Commission has proposed suspending flights from southern Africa due to the detection of a new mutant of Covid-19.
Britain has expressed great concern about the new strain of the Corona virus, as the Health Security Agency said that the strain called “B1.1.529” contains a so-called “spike protein” completely different from the protein found in the original Corona virus, which made vaccines. COVID-19 based.
What is the new mutator?
Fifty confirmed cases of the new mutant have been detected in South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana, according to the British newspaper, The Guardian.
According to the scientists, the mutant has a range of mutations that raise concern because they can help it avoid the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible.
Where was the mutant spotted?
Preliminary evidence from diagnostic laboratories indicates that the mutation emerged in Gauteng province, South Africa, and may already be present in the country’s other eight provinces.
In a regular daily update of confirmed cases nationwide, South Africa’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases reported 2,465 new COVID-19 cases, just under double the day’s infections.
The institute did not attribute this increase to the appearance of the mutant, although some prominent local scientists suspect it to be the cause.
Is it different from other mutants?
The mutant contains 32 mutations in the “spike” protein, which is part of the virus that most vaccines use to prime the immune system against Covid-19, knowing that this number is double that associated with the “delta” mutant.
How do we deal with the mutant?
Scientists recommend getting the anti-Covid-19 vaccination, in addition to the booster dose, if 6 months have passed since the date of taking the second dose.
The new strain carries mutations that are likely to evade the immune response resulting from both previous infection and vaccination, as well as mutations associated with increased infection.
Scientists said that laboratory studies are needed to assess the possibility that the mutations will result in a significant decrease in the effectiveness of vaccines.
And earlier Thursday, South African scientists said they had discovered the new strain of corona in small numbers, and were working to understand its possible repercussions.
The scientists told a press conference that this strain contains a “very unusual set” of mutations, which are of concern because they may help the virus evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible.
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