Following the discovery of 16 confirmed cases in the United Kingdom, Public Health England has identified a new coronavirus strain that is now being researched. According to The Independent, this was identified as a variant under examination on Wednesday. B.1.621 is the name of the variation. The authorities have underlined that little is known about this variant and that there is no evidence that it will make immunizations less effective or cause more severe sickness, so the new strain will not cause panic among the public.
Although the B.1.621 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is novel in the United Kingdom, it is not new anywhere else in the world. The variation was initially discovered in Colombia in January.
According to the Independent, “the majority of the cases have been related to international travel, and there is currently no evidence of community transmission in the UK.”
The Covid-19 problem in the United Kingdom has been worse in recent weeks, which has been attributed to the virus’s Delta version. Despite the increase in cases, Covid-19 limitations in the UK were lifted this week. The United Kingdom recorded 31,794 coronavirus cases on Saturday.
According to reports, the R rate of coronavirus in the UK is between 1.2 and 1.4, meaning that one sick person can infect several people. In England, the infection rate in private households has likewise reached new highs since January.
Variants are studied before being classified as of interest (variants of interest) or concern (variants of concern). This new strain is currently being treated as a warning signal, and its risk is being examined.
