What are the differences between the three new corona virus mutations that worry the world?
Tags: Nigeria, B117, Britain, Covid 19, Mutation

As the global epidemic approaches, mutations that occur repeatedly in the new type of corona virus are alarming. While the effects of the "B117" mutation that emerged in the UK last week are not yet understood, two new mutant corona viruses called "501Y.V2" in South Africa and "P681H" were found in Nigeria. Scientists said the new mutation, named "501Y.V2," could be more contagious than in the UK and slightly more resistant to vaccines. However, the variant that originated in Nigeria is not thought to spread faster than the original version of the virus. Scientists compared the B117, 501Y.V2 and P681H mutations, which appeared at short intervals, with each other in many ways, from how vaccines would affect how many people they infected, the speed of transmission to the effects on the immune system.

There are 3 new mutations of the new type of corona virus, which currently infects approximately 80 million worldwide: B117, 501Y.V2, P681H. B117, the first new variant of the Corona virus, was detected in the UK in November. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that the corona virus mutation spreading in the UK was 56 percent more than the original version of the virus. This shows that the virus is highly contagious. The second, mutant, 501Y.V2, was found in two people from South Africa in England the day before. UK Health Minister Matt Hancock said in a statement, “This new breed is quite alarming. Because it seems to be more contagious and mutated more than the new species discovered in England, "he said.



Scientists in South Africa announced that they are still working "calmly and methodically" to fully understand the new variant known as "501Y.V2". The third mutation, P681H, was detected yesterday in Nigeria. "It's a separate lineage from Britain and South Africa and we don't think it's as contagious as they are," said John Nkengasong, head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nigeria CDC and Africa Center for Infectious Diseases stated that they will analyze more samples. Dr. Richard Lessells, one of the experts who led research on the new mutant virus in South Africa, said, "If we combine our data with information from the UK, we see that the mutation that occurs in South Africa is a little more effective in spreading from person to person, and that's not good. "Ours is more of a concern than the mutation that occurs in the UK, because it may be more resistant to vaccines. Another concern is re-infection. We are currently doing a careful and methodical work in the laboratory to answer all the questions we have, and it takes time." The researchers reported that the mutation in South Africa had multiple changes in the spike protein, which is the part of the corona virus that binds to ACE2 receptors, similar to the one in the UK, and is also the main target for many antibodies produced during infection or after vaccination. Scientists think that this condition, which is common to both the UK mutation and its mutation in South Africa, is important for the virus's ability to spread rapidly and could affect the spike protein-affecting vaccines, including Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna. Nigeria, the potential effect of the variant on vaccines is currently unknown. Doctor Nkengasong said, "Give us some time. It's still too early." However, the scientists said that the mutations detected in the South African variant could allow the virus to bind to cells better and enter better than previous variants, including B117, potentially facilitating transmission. On the other hand, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that the B117 mutation was 56 percent higher than the original version of the virus. The Nigerian mutation was found in two patient samples taken on 3 August and 9 October in southern Osun state. Unlike the large number of mutations in the UK and South African variations, a report on Vire said, "We have not observed such a rapid increase in the species in Nigeria and we have no evidence that the P681H variant contributes to further transmission of the virus in Nigeria." "At this stage, there is no clear evidence that the new mutation is associated with more severe disease or more deaths, but clinicians are doing further studies to determine whether" 501Y.V2 "has changed the course of the disease, South African researchers told local media, Patients are likely to show the same spectrum of symptoms as before ”made the assessment. However, epidemiologists said that if the new mutation spreads at a rate that overwhelms health systems, death rates could increase. The researchers stated that they have routinely observed the spread of “501Y.V2” in South Africa through a network of laboratories operating across the country, and that they have been found in approximately 200 samples collected from more than 50 different healthcare facilities so far. He pointed out that the mutation, initially limited to coastal areas, is now spreading inland. Currently, the mutant virus is thought to be effective in 80 to 90 percent of the country. In a study published this week by the biotech company Crisp, “The 501Y.V2 mutation of the Corona virus spread rapidly and became the dominant species in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape states within weeks. "Although the significance of the mutation has not yet been determined, genomic data showing the rapid migration of other species suggests that this lineage may be associated with increased transmissibility." After the first corona virus wave in South Africa peaked in July and August, the number of new cases per day decreased significantly for a while. However, the number of new infections started to increase rapidly at the beginning of December and reached 11,000 earlier this week. Most cases are in teens aged 15-25 years, but it is unknown whether this is a result of the new mutation. The variation named B117, which appeared in the UK, was recently found in Germany, and thus the number of countries where the virus spread increased to 7. The virus has also been detected in Singapore, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland, Australia and Scotland. It is known that 501Y.V2, which emerged in South Africa, occurs only in two people in the UK, while the mutation in Nigeria does not leave the country. .