Brazil has detected a new variant of the coronavirus in Belo Horizonte

Amid the alarming health situation the country is going through due to the increase in cases and deaths from the coronavirus, Brazilian scientists have detected a new variant of covid-19 in Belo Horizonte and the metropolitan area.

According to what is indicated by the authorities, this new strain has a combination of 18 mutations. Some of them shared with the Brazilian variants P1 (originating in Manaus) and P2 (Rio de Janeiro), as well as with South Africans (B.1.1.351) and British (B.1.1.7).

The new variant was discovered by the Integrative Biology Laboratory of the Institute of Biological Sciences of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and by the Research and Development Sector of the Pardini Group, in collaboration with the Molecular Virology Laboratory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the municipal council of Belo Horizonte.

The appearance of this variant increases the concerns of the authorities, because all of these strains were found to be more infectious and aggressive than the original.

The UFMG virologist, Renato santana, explained that while it is too early to know if this new variant is more transmissible, it is already known that it has mutations already described in other strains that have caused a greater risk of death, according to what has been reported by G1.

“Recently, the UK variant, for example, was found to be associated with a 60% increased risk of death. The Manaus P.1 variant is very disturbing, as well as this new variant that we are now identifying, as they have mutations in the same regions as the UK. It may be that some of these variations are associated with the increase in severe cases that we are seeing across the country. “, said the specialist.

The two genomes are in samples taken on February 27 and 28, 2021. At the moment, there is no evidence of a link between them.

According to the virologist, apparently people infected with the new variant they have not traveled abroad or have no ties to other states. However, more studies are still needed to determine exactly when and where it first appeared.

Given the serious situation in Brazil – the second country most affected by the pandemic in the world -, Local scientists had previously warned that new strains of the coronavirus were likely to emerge.

Santana stressed that the possible effects of the new variant on the immunization capacity of vaccines applied in Brazil should also be investigated: “It has changes in the same important regions that are identified by the neutralizing antibodies produced by the vaccine. But it is still too early to know if this has an impact on the effectiveness of vaccines. “

“Whenever the virus multiplies, it has the opportunity to change. We must, more and more, promote social isolation and increase the vaccination coverage rate, ”he concluded.

A prestigious Brazilian research institute has warned that the Sars-CoV-2 virus “remains in intense circulation throughout the country” and that without the “bitter remedy” containment measures, “the pandemic could remain at critical levels in April”.

“The lockdown measures are a bitter remedy, but they are absolutely necessary in times of crisis and the collapse of the health system like the one the country is currently experiencing, in order to prevent more deaths,” the Minister said. Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), depending on the Ministry of Health, in an Extraordinary Bulletin published Tuesday evening.

The report analyzes trends in the pandemic during the week of March 28 to April 3, when days with more than 3,000 deaths were first recorded. AND before Tuesday 6, more than 4,000 deaths had been reported.

The South American country adds nearly 337,000 deaths from the coronavirus, a number surpassed only by the United States, with an exponential increase in recent months.

The bulletin says that the bed occupancy rate in intensive care units (ICU) is at “critical levels” in 24 of the 27 states.

The rate of spread of the virus reveals that it “remains in intense circulation throughout the country” and the set of indicators “shows that the pandemic could remain at critical levels throughout the month of April,” adds he does.

The authors insist on the need to “speed up vaccination”, which comes up against difficulties in the supply of inputs.

With information from G1 and AFP

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