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Two new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus have been discovered in Ohio, one being dubbed the ‘Columbus strain’ because scientists believe it became the dominant form in the city by the end of the year. last year.
The Columbus strain, named COH.20G / 501Y, has three never-before-seen mutations, according to scientists at Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine. It appears to have become the most prevalent form of COVID in the city within three weeks between the end of December 2020 and January 2021, according to a press release.
A variant is a form of virus and is sometimes used interchangeably with the term strain, while a mutation is a change in the genes of the virus that it gathers as it replicates. Mutations are a natural part of a virus’s life cycle, most of which do not change its behavior. The collections of mutations are variants.
Dr Dan Jones, Vice President of the Molecular Pathology Division at OSU who led the study, said in a declaration: “This new Columbus strain has the same genetic backbone as the previous cases we studied, but these three mutations represent a significant development. We know that change did not come from the British or South African branches of the virus. “
The other variant has the same mutation as a separate, more infectious variant from the UK that has entered at least 50 countries, including the US On Tuesday, Maryland and Wisconsin became the last states to report that the British variant had been identified.
The team believe the mutation occurred in a patient from Ohio, and it is not known how widespread it is in the population.
The changes in both variants affect the spike protein that the COVID the virus uses to invade the body. The Columbus strain is believed to have undergone changes that make it more infectious, like the variants that have emerged in the UK and South Africa, although more research is needed to confirm this.
According to CNBC, Jones told a press briefing on Wednesday that it was too early to know if the Columbus strain was more contagious than the earlier forms, but that is likely judging by how quickly it spread. spread over the past few weeks.
The team made the results after tracking changes in the genetic makeup of COVID viruses collected from patients since March 2020. The information was published in a OSU Wexner Medical center press release and data should be submitted to pre– printer server BioRxivwhich means they have not yet gone through the rigorous peer review process.
Co-author of the study To fart Mohler, Ohio State Scientific Director Wexner The medical center and associate dean for research at the College of Medicine said in a statement: “At this point, we have no data to believe that these mutations will impact the effectiveness of vaccines currently in use.”
Mohler said: “It is important that we do not overreact to this new variant until we get additional data.
“We need to understand the impact of mutations on virus transmission, the prevalence of the strain in the population and whether it has a more significant impact on human health. In addition, it is essential that we continue to monitor the evolution of the virus. so that we can understand the impact of mutant forms on the design of diagnoses and therapies. It is essential that we make decisions based on the best science. “
Ian Jones, professor of virology at the British University of Reading who did not work on the study, said Newsweek: “The Ohio variant is the latest to be reported with a variation in the spike protein that can affect the ability of the virus to enter the cell. This would be consistent with improved transmission as the virus is better in the early stages of infection.
“To date, all variants like this that have been tested have remained susceptible to vaccine-induced immunity and while this requires confirmation, it is probably also the case here. The infection still requires close contact, so social distancing measures remain more important than ever.
Jason McDonald, spokesperson for the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CNBC the agency reviews the results.
Dr Bruce Vanderhoff, said the chief medical officer of the health department CNBC he was “not surprised” by the emergence of a new variant in the state, but said that such an event “is still of concern because more contagious strains could lead more people to fall ill, more people hospitalized and, ultimately, more deaths “.
He said, “It doesn’t matter what strain COVID-19, people can continue to protect themselves by consistently wearing masks, staying at least six feet apart, avoiding crowds, ventilating indoor spaces, and washing their hands frequently . “
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