Category: B.1.525
FIN-796H #coronavirus variant is NOT unique to Finland – has also been found in Nigeria and the UK
The Finnish coronavirus variant FIN-796H, discovered in February, is not unique to Finland, it has also been found in other parts of the world.
THL’s leading expert Carita Savolainen-Kopra says that a strain named the FIN-796H variant has been found in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, among others.
It is not a question of the Finnish variant spreading to other countries, but the virus type also occurs in other parts of the world, i.e. the Finnish variant is not unique domestic, as was widely past reported.
Leading expert Carita Savolainen-Kopra says that the matter was clarified a few weeks ago by comparing the inherited viruses with international data.
“The entire genomic sequence was made for the transformation in THL. From this it is possible to deduce which line the virus belongs to. Based on international databases, there are finds elsewhere than in Finland.”
Editors note: sounds like B.1.525 – to be confirmed…
Lancet: Surveillance of #coronavirus in Zimbabwe shows dominance of variants of concern – B.1.351 (501Y.V2) and A.23.1
In December, 2020, 95 (89%) of 107 sequenced cases contained mutations of concern, rising to 102 (98%) of 104 in January, 2021. The identified variants included the previously reported B.1.351 (501Y.V2) and A.23.1 variants, along with a novel variant under investigation.
Prospective surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 by genome sequencing in Zimbabwe between December, 2020, and January, 2021 (the period of the so-called second wave), has identified that variants with concerning mutations are prevalent in sequenced samples. In December, 2020, 95 (89%) of 107 sequenced cases contained mutations of concern, rising to 102 (98%) of 104 in January, 2021. The identified variants included the previously reported B.1.351 (501Y.V2) and A.23.1 variants, along with a novel variant under investigation.
The B.1.1.7, B.1.525, P.1, and P.2 and variants were not identified in Zimbabwe. Variants with concerning mutations have all replaced previously identified lineages in Zimbabwe
Image by Simon Berger from Pixabay
New #coronavirus variant B.1.525 with #E484K, #Q677H, #F888L and a similar deletions to #B117
International lineage with variants of biological significance E484K, Q677H, F888L and a similar suite of deletions to B.1.1.7.
Countries reported 2
Countries with sequences 10
Sequence count 102
Countries: Denmark 35, United Kingdom 32, Nigeria 12, United States of America 7, France 5, Ghana 4, Australia 2, Canada 2, Jordan 2, Spain 1
Photo by Jakayla Toney on Unsplash