Scientists sound the alarm on a new variant of Covid, first identified on November 11 in Botswana, which has a “huge number of variations” that could allow the virus to circumvent immunity. So far there are only 10 cases, in three countries, confirmed of variant B.1.1.529, which contains 32 variations of the spike protein, the part of the virus that most vaccines use to create immunity against Covid. In addition to the three cases in Botswana, the variant was found in South Africa, in six cases, and in Hong Kong, in a patient who has just returned from South Africa. Upon his arrival in Hong Kong, the man had tested negative for the swab, but tested positive two days later while undergoing quarantine, the Guardian reported today.
Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London, posted some details about this variant on one site, noting that “the incredibly high amount of spike mutations suggests this could be a real concern.”
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