Category: Variants
UK coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 may not have evolved spontaneously in the UK or within human populations
“Here we analyzed 454,443 SARS-CoV-2 spike genes/proteins and 14,427 whole-genome sequences. More...
NEJM: In two coronavirus vaccine breakthrough cases “examination of the SARS-CoV-2 sequences revealed that both patients were infected with variant viruses” .. “neither sequence precisely fit any known clade”
Examination of the SARS-CoV-2 sequences revealed that both patients were infected with variant viruses. More...
India: Doctors discuss the diagnosis and treatment of B.1.617 double mutant coronavirus patients
“Death of fully vaccinated people”, “Increased incidence of reinfections”, “Very infectious. More...
Brazil: First confirmed death from coronavirus REINFECTION reported
A 39-year-old Brazilian man who died of COVID-19 last month was suffering from a second bout of the illness, researchers said on Tuesday, making it the country’s first confirmed death from coronavirus reinfection. More...
Hong Kong: coronavirus transmission linked to quarantine hotel door hooks used for meal deliveries
Hong Kong’s first community infection of a mutant Covid-19 strain involved the South African variant, officials revealed on Tuesday, with transmission likely to have taken place at a quarantine hotel via door hooks used by staff to deliver meal boxes to guests. More...
India: B.1.617 now at 61% of coronavirus genome samples in Maharashtra – was ~20% just one month ago
The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, has shared data with laboratories in Maharashtra showing that of 361 Covid-19 samples taken in Maharashtra from January to March and genome sequenced, 61% or 220 had the double mutation E484Q and L452R, now classified as B.1.617 lineage. More...
India: New coronavirus variant B.1.618 with added E484K
E484K has been found in a new Sars-Cov-2 variant labelled as B.1.618, which has been reported in West Bengal, India. More...
Sweden: so much for Herd Immunity and Light Touch pandemic policies
“Instead of following evolving evidence, the [Swedish] FHM has doubled down and defended its approach without reconsidering the assumptions on which the failed national approach is based. More...
Maharashtra, India: complete lockdown from tomorrow
Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said all ministers have requested Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to impose a complete lockdown in the state from 8 pm tomorrow. More...
Ireland: 24 cases of P.1, 55 cases of B.1.351 and 3 cases of B.1.617 reported
Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory Dr Cillian de Gascun said that there have been three cases of the recent variant [B.1.617] first identified in India. More...