What is known about the Andean variant of the coronavirus, which was also found in Argentina – Telam

The doctor of molecular microbiology and coordinator of the microbial genomics laboratory of Peru, Pablo Tsukayama, reported the identification of a new line (variant) of SARS-CoV-2, already present in Argentina, which they called C.37 and that according to “the preliminary information available to us”, there would be “neither greater transmissibility, nor greater virulence, nor greater mortality”.

According to the Country Project, this variant known as the Andean was found in the 33.3% of cases in the city of Buenos Aires and in the 57% of those in the suburbs in epidemiological week (SEM) 15, from April 11 to 17.

The announcement was published on the site virological.org, where virologists around the world are discussing their preliminary results and, as noted, this is not a ‘pre-print’, it has not been peer reviewed and more data is needed to verify these observations .

“The only thing we know is that it starts appearing around the same time the second wave starts to rise in Peru. It’s a correlation,” Tsukayama said on his Twitter account.

“This is preliminary information, but as part of the genomic monitoring project that we have been carrying out since last year, we can process a sample of around 100 genomes from Lima and Peru every month,” he explained. .

The researcher argued that ‘what we are seeing is that in December, more or less, a new variant begins to appear that we have never seen anywhere before, which is neither British nor Brazilian, nor South African. derives from something that has already circulated here. “

Tsukayama said that “at one point in December he undergoes a series of mutations which seem to give him some sort of advantage that rapidly increases his prevalence in the city of Lima.”

“The only thing we know is that it starts to appear at the same time that the second wave starts to rise in Peru”“

Pablo Tsukayama

According to the analysis mentioned by this doctor in microbiology, among the samples presented between January and March, this new variant, which since last week has been given a name (C.37), “This will correspond to almost 40% of the samples we processed in Lima”.

The scientist said that “we have evidence that it grows in Lima and then also all over Peru. We also have evidence that it is found in Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, United States. and in several other countries in the region “.

“All of this data is preliminary, but we have a variant that originates from Peru or Chile, but which would already be exported to other parts of the world and which would be more transmissible,” he observed.

And to repeat that “The evidence is very preliminary. We cannot speak of greater transmissibility, greater virulence or greater mortality. All we know is that it is starting. to appear at the same time that the second wave begins to rise in Peru, ”concluded Tsukayama.