Mexico: Most new infections are due to …

Mexican authorities have reported that a new strain of the coronavirus, which “may have greater transmissibility,” was responsible for 87.23% of cases in the country. This was announced by the director of molecular research of the Institute for epidemiological diagnosis and reference, José Ernesto Ramírez, during a press conference.

According to Ramírez, the covid-19 variant was detected in October 2020 but warned that “it is not appropriate at this time to call it a new Mexican variant”.

What has been discovered is the B.1.1.222 line with a T478K mutation, the scientist noted. He also noted that the “significant increase” in cases produced by the strain is similar to what has happened with other variants of the virus in the UK, South Africa and Brazil.

Ramírez estimated that the mutation “has also been found in Canada, the United States and some countries in Europe and Africa” ​​and that this line has “some very important mutations”. “It can surely have greater transmissibility. That is why we suggest that virological, epidemiological and clinical studies be carried out to know its impact on public health,” he added.

In the past 24 hours, the country has reported 877 new deaths from the coronavirus and is accumulating a total of 183,692 deaths. On the same day, 8,642 new cases were recorded, of which the number of infected since the start of the pandemic has risen to 2,069,370 people. Thus, Mexico is the thirteenth country in the world in number of infections and the third in deaths, only exceeded by the United States and Brazil.

Meanwhile, more than two million vaccines have already been applied in the country. In a statement, the health ministry said last night that 2,088,813 doses had already been administered.

So far, the vaccines that have reached Mexican territory are those from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V and Sinovac, the ministry said.

The occupancy of general beds with Covid-19 patients is 31 percent, a percentage that rises to 34 percent in intensive care units, although in both cases the trend is downward.

Mexico City and Puebla are the places with the highest hospital occupancy rates in the country.