Just when the world is waiting for a successful test and vaccination launch for the Covid-19 virus, a new covid19 strain in the UK has been in the spotlight for the past few days. No wonder, as soon as the strain came, it spread among people in the UK. In this regard, the UK government alarms that a new strain of the pandemic is circulating in the UK, making it more dangerous for the dwellers.
The rapid spread of this new corona type is highly infectious, and it has been spreading in and around areas in London. This has made the high authorities go for the strictest lockdown regulations from existing lockdown in the UK. People are in great distress as to the prevailing situation owing to the increasing trauma of the new strain of the virus. It is rapidly spreading to different parts of the UK, making it fatal for the overall population.
Things to Know About Covid – 19 Strain Mutations
The coming of the covid 19 strain types left the city go in complete lockdown, with strict order from high authorities to shut down borders. The new strain has the potency to take the place of its older version rapidly. This poses more threat to human life than the existing strain of the virus.
Also, the new covid 19 strain mutation variant can affect the part of the virus, resulting in a serious impact on the victim. Research says that the mutations can increase cell infection in the human body, resulting in dangerous system damage and other fatal situations.
New Strain Prevalent in South Africa
The new variant is similar to the covid19 strain South Africa with similar mutations as per scientists’ predictions. The ones whose generic sequence is sent for analysis shows a similar presence of the virus in most of them as per the new strain. However, some variants can become widespread amidst a population by luck, making it alarming.
This analysis is mainly for data from the middle of November in South Africa. However, the new strain worries the scientists more than surprising them by its presence. As per the researcher’s data, there has been a tiny yet significant change in the new strain’s generic form, making it even harmful when it enters the human body. However, scientists are doubtful whether the new strain will work on the new strain of the virus in South Africa.
In South Africa, the covid 19 strains mean that the new variant tends multiple mutations in its ‘spike’ protein through which the virus enters human cells. This will result in a high concentration of virus particles in the patient’s body and likely to have a high transmission level. Resulting from this, it is sure to be more dreadful than the older strain of the virus.
How Faster Can New Strain Spread?
The new version and its mutation potency with an increase in its effect when it enters human cells are reasons enough to consider the new variant as a stronger and dangerous one. Due to its rapid spread in London and other parts of the UK, the country authorities declare the strictest lockdown to curb the spread of the new variant. However, there remains thorough research in labs to declare its results and the limits.
Soon after its first detection in September, half of UK citizens testing for the virus presence were carrying the new variant within mid-November. With the increasing number in December, it goes even higher in the coming months. Reports state that the variant is fast spreading and growing with the prerequisite to keep a watch on its spread and its type.
How Far the New Strain Has its Reach?
Depending on assumptions, either the patient’s variation in the UK or imported from a country when a virus mutation testing facility is insufficient to curb the spread. Except for Northern Ireland, the variant prevalent in every corner of the UK has serious cases in London, the eater part of England, and the South East.
As per samples of genetic codes, the cases of Australia and Denmark have come from the UK, with the Netherlands having cases of the new strain. The new mutation is N501Y that transforms spike protein content, which is termed as ‘receptor – binding domain.’ Here, the protein first comes with body cells and changes the virus’s form, having more dreadful results for the victim.
However, studies suggest that antibodies from survivors’ blood are prone to attack by new virus strain. Its mutation has high effectiveness; it is spreading fast and multiplies in the victim’s cells. So, this highly mutating virus strain has its inception from the body of a patient with poor immunity that could not deal with the older strain of the virus. Due to this, the virus has been breeding to mutate rapidly into its new strain.
Additional Facts about New Strain
VUI – 202012/01 – as the new variant’s name goes as a result of mutation from its older version. The variant of SARS-Cov-2 has its mutation in spike protein, making it fast-spreading and growing. This is the result of 17 changes to its older version making the new strain infectious for victims. Depending on current reports, the new variant can impact the mode of virus spread.
The new strain is 70% more transmissible and can affect individuals belonging to 30 to 60 years of range. This arouses some doubts like will the vaccine help curb the spread of new strain, will it be more dangerous, will it cause one more sickness than the older strain and the like.
Number of New Strain Rising in India
The cases due to new strains of the virus are rising rapidly daily with its infectious impacts on human blood cells. Some are positive cases whose samples are under inspection at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology or IGIB of CSIR. The high state authorities seek assistance from different research institutes to work on the specification and thorough analysis of the new strain.
The labs testing samples of new strain are ILS Bhubaneswar, NIBMG Kolkata, NCCS Pune, CCMB Hyderabad, NIV Pune, InSTEM Bengaluru, IGIB Delhi, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and NCDC Delhi to find genome sequencing. The countries’ list to have a new strain are France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, Japan, Canada, and others.
Precautionary Changes to Curb New Strain
The best option for an individual is to stick to the latest infection rules of washing hands, wearing a face mask, and also social distancing as much as possible. This would slow down the chance of the spread of the virus as per doctors’ suggestions. However, scientists are trying their best to find prominent causes and harmful results of this new strain.
New Strain in Nigeria
With the discovery of the covid 19 strain Nigeria, the head of disease control from Africa has precautionary measures, stating that more investigations are to come. The news of the spread of the new strain leads to travel restrictions and other turmoil in common places. As per the experts at Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, it is a separate kind of strain different from the UK.
The strain in Nigeria has almost 501 mutations referring to the South African variant as 501.V2. It is added that more samples will be put to analysis shortly to come up with specific results about the new strain. As of now, only the genomic sequence of the variant has come up as the recent research results.
Despite being a populous African country, Nigeria was having fewer coronavirus cases than others. But, when daily cases exceed more than 1000, the total of new strain counts to almost 80 000 and even more shortly. Thus, it triggers more investigation to cope with the rapid pace of the new strain in Nigeria.
Precautionary Measures in India for New Strain
The Indian government urges for urgent cancellation of international flights to and from the UK till the 5th of January, 2021, and mandatory tests for the passengers returning from the UK. Meanwhile, covid -19 cases are surging every hour as before with dreadful chances of the impact of the human body.
With the coming of a new strain, scientists are in a dilemma about whether the vaccines will work on the new strain. However, it can target most parts of the protein and prevent it from mutating. Other than mutation in the old strain protein, there is a mutation in the genomic region of RNA virus that contributes to the new strain. Though the type of new strain indicates its fast pace of spread and growth in a human cell, the chance of deadly disease is yet to come.
Wrapping it up
The mechanism for rapid transmission of the new strain is yet to come, and it would require continuous monitoring of the strain in the coming weeks. Even the infection rate is higher in the geographical areas with the old strain of the virus. The high transmissibility has become a significant concern that requires checking the fatality rate of the new strain.