British virus variant developed for new mutation in a small number of cases

LONDON (Reuters) – The British variant of the coronavirus has developed a worrying new mutation in a small number of cases, which scientists say makes it similar to the South African and Brazilian variants and could reduce the effectiveness of vaccines.

The emergence of the variant mutation first discovered in Britain shows how complicated the exit from the COVID-19 lockdown will be even once the vaccines are deployed.

Public Health England said there had been 11 reports of the UK variant showing the E484K mutation, mostly in the south-west of England.

The E484K mutation, which occurs on the spike protein of the virus, is the same change seen in the South African and Brazilian variants that have raised international concerns.

“PHE is monitoring the situation closely and all necessary public health interventions are underway, including improved contact tracing and control measures,” said a spokesperson for PHE.

Several laboratory studies have shown that vaccines and antibody therapy are less effective against the South African variant.

In contrast, early evidence showed that the vaccines worked just as well against the British variant, which originally did not carry the E484K mutation.

Health Minister Matt Hancock said it was too early to determine the impact of the variants on vaccines, but worrying mutations had been reported in Bristol and Liverpool.

“We must continue to act with caution, especially given the renewed challenges posed by new variants of the coronavirus,” he told lawmakers.

Calum Semple, who is on a panel advising the UK government, told BBC radio that E484K was the “mutation of most concern” and had “occurred spontaneously” in the UK variant.

The name E484K, in simple terms, is like map coordinates. The number 484 is the exact location of the mutation, the letter E is the amino acid it originally was and the letter K is the amino acid it mutated to.

Concern over the South African variant, with its E484K mutation, has already prompted UK authorities to launch a campaign of door-to-door mass testing in areas where cases of the variant have been found in people. unrelated to South Africa, although mandatory. the quarantine in hotels for arrivals from South Africa has not yet entered into force.

Although the number of reported cases of the UK variant with the affected mutation is low, scientists said this demonstrates how the high prevalence of cases in Britain meant that it was not enough to simply prevent the importation of new variants.

“This report seems to suggest that under conditions of very high levels of virus replication, even the strictest border controls, although they may delay the spread, are unlikely to prevent the emergence of new variants,” said Jonathan Stoye, virologist at the Francis Crick Institute.