INDRE has detected a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Mexico: this is in more than 80% of cases

During Thursday’s evening press conference, the Institute for Epidemiological Diagnosis and Reference (InDRE) reported that a new line of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been discovered in Mexico, which was detected in 87.23% of the samples studied.

José Ernesto Ramírez González, head of the technological development and molecular research unit of InDRE, explained that the B.1.1.222 line has two important mutations, which could make it more transmissible.

“By comparing the studies carried out by these countries where these lines were found, we realized that they increased the increase in their frequency of identification in these countries, both variant 1 in England, variant 352 in South Africa. South, variant P1 in Brazil, the American variant, the presence of these variants was increasing every month and we observe this effect in this variant that we are reporting, ”explained the official.

Meanwhile, he reported that there are three variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in active circulation. The specialist clarified that the samples taken in Jalisco a few weeks ago are unrelated to those known as the English or Brazilian variants.

We have done the job, we have analyzed the whole genome sequence and indeed we have this mutation, but it does not contain the other characteristic mutations of the P.1 variant that we know as the Brazilian variant. In such a way that we exclude that these samples belong to these variants of interest, however, when we do a phylogenomic analysis, it turns out that these samples are grouped phylogenetically with the other variant which is also circulating in Brazil, which is the variant P .2

“It does not have the same level of public health impact as the P.1 variant, however, we should not rule out that it contains a mutation with a significant impact and we suggest that different virological studies, epidemiological and clinical studies are carried out to see the impact that this could have at the national level, ”added the specialist.

Thus, in Mexico, we report six cases of the British variant, 10 cases of the variant found in southern California, United States, and one case of the Brazilian variant P.1, which was confirmed by the Jalisco Department of Health.

Progress of COVID-19 disease in Mexico

This Thursday, February 25, they registered 183,692 cumulative deaths Yes 2,069,370 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mexico. The SSa reported that there is 51,130 active infections we are, representing patients who reported symptoms in the past 14 days.

From week 5 to 6 of 2021 a 22% decrease in estimated cases (sum of confirmed and suspected infections) at national level, including 2,264,524 until Thursday.

According to the Serious Acute Respiratory Infections Network (SARI), there are 21,716 general beds available Yes 9 931 busy. With fan, at 7523 sick people can access before the 3,806 that are saturated.

To treat critically ill patients from COVID-19, Mexico City has reported 58% saturation, while the remaining 31 states have over 50% availability.

Immunization progress in Mexico

Almost a year after the appearance of the first case of coronavirus in Mexico, the federal government has applied 2,088,813 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

According to the daily report of the health agency, this February 25 the antigen was injected into 162,233 people. In addition, the number of vaccines lost adds up 1,543 (0.8%).

Primary care staff for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus has been applied 694981 first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech antigen. From this group, 526,412 people benefited from the full program.

MORE ON THIS SUBJECT