New COVID-19 variant detected in South Africa: Everything you need to know about it

While rapidly spreading variant of COVID-19 is already causing a worry in UK, ar variant of existing geme of coronavirus has been detected in South Africa, health ministry anunced last week. As per reports, new 501.V2 variant in South Africa is also being linked to drastic speed of transmission of second wave that also infects younger patients. South African Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize reportedly also said on December 18 new strain has been reported to World Health Organisation (WHO).

Even though pathogens mutate all time and it is also a well-kwn fact among scientists, variant spreading in Britain is named VUI-202012/01 is currently determined to be 70% more infectious than existing version. refore, it has raised fears of overlapping current virus which has already rocked world. However, new variant in South Africa is also causing a reportedly shift in epidemiological landscape of country.

What is kwn about COVID-19 variant in South Africa?

Even though South African experts are still looking into details of new COVID-19 variant, health minister had said last week that particular strain had dominated results of infections, especially in last two months. Calling it a shift in epidemiological landscape, doctors have reportedly ted that more younger patients were impacted with co-morbidities and developed severe forms of highly-infectious disease which is sometimes deadly.

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• What is changed in 501.V2?

South African health minister has also revealed that elements related to new coronavirus strain “strongly indicate” that second wave in nation is “carried” by new variant as nearly 90% of samples tested in country contain new strain. As per reports, unlike or mutations that eventually die away, 501.V2 has key changed in part of pathogen that helps it to stick to host cells in humans. It is also same part of virus which is impacted by vaccines and antibody rapies.

• Will existing vaccines work?

While variant spreading in South Africa is different from that prevailing in UK, experts are still studying if existing COVID-19 vaccine candidates will be working on 501.V2 which appears to be more infectious than original strain. Several vaccine candidates including one developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca are being subjected to clinical trials in South Africa. 

• What is new in second wave?

While South African Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said re is “ reason to panic”, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, chairman of government's Ministerial Advisory Committee in a press briefing said “it is still very early st” but ted that second wave is spreading faster than first wave.

Currently, as per reports, South Africa has over 8,500 hospitalisations related to COVID-19 and a member of advisory committee told South Africa’s News24, Prof. Ian Sanne, that re is a “much earlier and much sharper rise in second wave or resurgence than we anticipated.”

Scientists who are studying variant at preliminary st have reportedly reiterated COVID-19 guidelines including wearing masks and maintaining social distance. Moreover, variant in South Africa is reportedly termed to be of high viral load and a quicker spread.

• How has world reacted to it?

At least five countries have suspended flights from South Africa including Germany, Turkey, Israel, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia. Germany was one of first nations to introduce ban with its government Spokesperson Martina Fietz saying, “Because of reported coronavirus mutation, federal government intends to restrict travel options between Germany and Great Britain and South Africa”. 

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