New Coronavirus Variant in South Africa Is Focus of Researchers

New Coronavirus Variant in South Africa, Is Focus of Researchers.

Researchers are referring to this variant as C.1.2.

In addition to South Africa, C.1.2 has emerged in at least seven other countries on the continents of Africa and Asia, as well as Oceana.

Researchers are unsure about how this variant compares to other detected variants.

It does appear to exhibit mutations that have made other variants more transmissible, and therefore more dangerous.

We are currently assessing the impact of this variant on antibody neutralization following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in South Africa, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, via report.

This variant has been detected throughout the third wave of infections in South Africa from May 2021 onwards, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, via report.

Researchers with the World Health Organization (WHO) also described how the emergence of the C.1.2 variant... ... is consistent with the history of the pandemic so far.

The identification of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants is commonly associated with new waves of infection, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, via report.

To date there are around 100 sequences of C.1.2 reported globally, the earliest reports from May '21 from South Africa, Maria van Kerkhove, WHO, via CNN.

WHO officials also spoke to the current understanding of the transmissibility of the C.1.2 variant.

At this time, C.1.2 does not appear to be rising in circulation, Maria van Kerkhove, WHO, via CNN.

Monitoring & assessment of variants is ongoing & critically important to understand the evolution of this virus, in fighting COVID-19 & adapting strategies as needed, Maria van Kerkhove, WHO, via CNN.

The C.1.2 variant has not yet been cited by the WHO as a variant of concern