C.1.2 — a new SARS-CoV-2 variant recognized in South Africa — has raised new worries concerning the Covid-19 pandemic after researchers from the country reported that the variant had mutations of concern. So far, simply 107 samples of the variant were isolated internationally and 95 of them are from South Africa.
Other nations to have pronounced this pattern encompasses Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Botswana, China, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland and UK. The variant has now no longer but been determined in India.
American epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Covid-19 Technical Lead, stated that WHO has frequently been discussing with South African researchers approximately their paintings on sequencing for the duration of the pandemic. “To date, there are ~100 sequences of C.1.2 reported globally, the earliest reviews from May ‘21 (from South Africa),” Kerkhove tweeted Monday.
“At this time, C.1.2 does now no longer seem to be (rising) in circulation, however, we want greater sequencing to be conducted & shared globally. Delta seems dominant from to be had sequences,” she added. Unlike a number of the preceding editions like Alpha, Beta and Delta, C.1.2 is but to be labelled as a variant of interest or a variant of concern.
WHO classifies SARS-CoV-2 editions primarily based totally on their residences along with indicators of expanded transmissibility or capacity to reason excessive disorder.
A ‘variation of concern’ has confirmed to be related to one or more of the subsequent adjustments at a diploma of global public health significance — the boom in transmissibility, the boom in virulence or extrude in medical disorder presentation, lower ineffectiveness of public fitness and social measures or to be had diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics.