Alert in Brazil for a new covid mutation

The study was carried out by the Institute of Biological Sciences of the Federal University of Minas Gerais and the Research and Development Sector of the Pardini Group, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Molecular Virology of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the Belo Horizonte Town Hall. (PBH).

The team analyzed 85 samples of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for Covid-19, collected between October 28, 2020 and March 15, 2021., using the RT-PCR diagnostic method. All are from the metropolitan area of ​​Belo Horizonte and two new genomes have been identified with mutations not yet described, i.e. samples of a possible new variant of the coronavirus, which had not yet been found.

The results showed an increase in the variants of P.1, P.2 and B.1.1.7 in RMBH. Out of the 85 analyzes, they found: P.1 (30 samples – 35.29%), P.2 (41 samples – 48.23%), B.1.1.28 (8 samples – 9.41%), B. 1.1.7 (3 samples: 3.53%), B.1.1.143 (1 sample: 1.17%), B.1.235 (1 sample: 1.17%) and B.1.1.94 (1 sample: 1.17%).

Two samples contained the presence of a set of 18 never seen mutations. Studies indicate that they are descendants of the B.1.1.28 lineage, which circulates in BH from the first base of the pandemic.