Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
International

WHO to monitor new Covid variant Mu for vax resistance

Darpan News Desk IANS, 01 Sep, 2021 11:32 AM
  • WHO to monitor new Covid variant Mu for vax resistance

Geneva, Sep 1 (IANS) The World Health Organisation (WHO) is monitoring the new Covid-19 strain -- Mu -- recently designated as a variant of interest (VOI) for vaccine resistance, the health body has said.

Mu, also known as B.1.621, was first identified from Colombia in January this year. Infections from Mu have since been recorded in South America and Europe. Based on the latest round of assessments, B.1.621 was classified as a VOI on 30 August 2021 and given the WHO label "Mu".

Mu variant has various mutations which indicate that it could be more resistant to vaccines, similar to Beta variant, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological update on Tuesday.

"The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape. Preliminary data presented to the Virus Evolution Working Group show a reduction in neutralisation capacity of convalescent and vaccine sera similar to that seen for the Beta variant, but this needs to be confirmed by further studies," the UN health agency said.

As of August 29, over 4,500 sequences (3,794 sequences of B.1.621 and 856 sequences of B.1.621.1) have been uploaded to open-access database GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) from 39 countries.

While the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1 per cent, the prevalence in Colombia (39 per cent) and Ecuador (13 per cent) has consistently increased, the WHO said.

"The epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant, will be monitored for changes," the health agency added.

There are four coronavirus variants of concern, as deemed by the WHO, with the Alpha variant -- first recorded in Kent, England -- seen in 193 countries, Beta in 141, Gamma in 91 and Delta in 170 countries, while Mu is the fifth variant of interest.

 

 

MORE International ARTICLES

Novavax seeks OK for COVID vaccine in needy countries first

Novavax seeks OK for COVID vaccine in needy countries first
U.S.-based Novavax partnered with the Serum Institute of India to apply in the three countries, and plans later this month to also seek the World Health Organization review needed to be part of the COVAX global vaccine program.

Novavax seeks OK for COVID vaccine in needy countries first

US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers

US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers
The Biden administration has kept in place travel restrictions that have severely curtailed international trips to the U.S., citing the spread of the delta variant of the virus. Under the rules, non-U.S. residents who have been to China, the European Schengen area, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa and India in the prior 14 days are prohibited from entering the U.S.

US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers

Tokyo logs record 5,042 cases as infections surge amid Games

Tokyo logs record 5,042 cases as infections surge amid Games
The additional cases brought the total for Tokyo to 236,138. Nationwide, Japan reported more than 14,000 cases on Wednesday for a total of 970,000.

Tokyo logs record 5,042 cases as infections surge amid Games

COVID-19 risks to the fully vaccinated explained

COVID-19 risks to the fully vaccinated explained
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control last week warned the Delta variant of the virus is so contagious, vaccinated people who do get infected could be just as big a risk to others as people who aren't vaccinated.

COVID-19 risks to the fully vaccinated explained

NYC will require vaccination proof for indoor dining, gyms

NYC will require vaccination proof for indoor dining, gyms
The new requirement, which will be phased in over several weeks in August and September, is the most aggressive step the city has taken yet to curb a surge in cases caused by the delta variant. 

NYC will require vaccination proof for indoor dining, gyms

Study: Vaccinated people can carry as much virus as others

Study: Vaccinated people can carry as much virus as others
The findings have the potential to upend past thinking about how the disease is spread. Previously, vaccinated people who got infected were thought to have low levels of virus and to be unlikely to pass it to others. But the new data shows that is not the case with the delta variant.

Study: Vaccinated people can carry as much virus as others