Covid Mutation: New Coronavirus strain in UK called B.1.1.7 spreads at much higher rates

 

London lockdown

A new variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) that contains a series of mutations has been described in the United Kingdom and become highly prevalent in London and southeast England. The British government has locked down much of the country.

According to reports, the new strain which scientists has labelled B.1.1.7, has over 20 mutations from the prevailing strain of the virus, and seems to be more contagious and tend to spread more quickly.

Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Turkey, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada, have already restricted travel from the UK.

It has also been confirmed that the new strain has reached as far as the Asia-Pacific, when Australia said on Monday it had detected cases of the new fast-spreading UK strain.

The mutation is alarming  but so far the new variant doesn't appear to cause more severe disease.  People who catch B.1.1.7 don't seem to be getting sicker, but scientists don't know for sure because this variant has just emerged.

Multiple experts said that the existing vaccines for Covid-19 will be effective in fighting off infection from new strains of the coronavirus.  They explained that at the genetic level, the new strain is likely to be very similar to prior strains.