[Epoch Times August 30, 2021](Epoch Times reporter Xu Jian comprehensive report) Scientists warn that the Chinese virus (COVID-19) variant first discovered in South Africa “may be more infectious than other variants “And the vaccine may be ineffective against it. This virus has spread to at least 7 countries.
This mutant virus is called C.1.2. Scientists first discovered this variant in South Africa in May. According to data released by the Global Influenza Data Initiative (GISAID), China, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Switzerland, Portugal, and the Indian Ocean island countries Seven countries, including Mauritius and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, have detected the strain, and at least 80 related sequencing reports have been reported.
This virus is more infectious and more difficult to deal with with existing vaccines. Compared with the original virus originally found in Wuhan, China, C.1.2 has more mutations.
The British “Mirror” reported on August 30 that based on the introduction of the South African National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the KwaZulu-Natal (KwaZulu-Natal) research innovation and sequencing platform, the C.1.2 strain was changed from the first wave of the epidemic. C.1 evolved, and the mutation rate is about 41.8 per year, which is twice the mutation rate of all “variable viruses of concern (VOC)”.
The researchers also found that the number of C.1.2 genomes in South Africa is increasing every month, from 0.2% in May to 1.6% in June and 2.0% in July.
Other variants of viruses Alpha, Beta and Gamma are also constantly mutating, and scientists have found C.1.2 in nearly 50% of the mutations. In other words, “C.1.2” looks like a “virtual master” with the characteristics of several strains such as Alpha and Delta.
In this report in the journal Nature, the scientists said: “Our description of this newly discovered SARS-CoV-2 virus is: it has several spike mutations, and it is likely to be the first epidemic peak in South Africa. At that time, it appeared in a major metropolitan area, and then spread to multiple locations in two adjacent provinces.”
Earlier this month, the Department of Public Health of the United Kingdom published a report showing that the C.1.2 strain is one of 10 variants being monitored by British scientists.
In April this year, British scientists discovered another South African virus B.1.351 that may break through the vaccine. After studying patients who had been vaccinated but infected with the epidemic, researchers found that the Pfizer vaccine seems to be less effective on B.1.351. The virus has The ability to “escape” the vaccine.
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
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