[FairmontGS]

Well that's just super...

‘Serious concern’ as South Africa detects new coronavirus variant

South African scientists have detected a new COVID-19 variant in small numbers and are working to understand its potential implications.

The variant – called B.1.1.529 – has a “very unusual constellation” of mutations, which are concerning because they could help it evade the body’s immune response and make it more transmissible, scientists told reporters at a news conference on Thursday.

The new variant has a “constellation” of new mutations, said Tulio de Oliveira, who has tracked the spread of the delta variant in the country.

The “very high number of mutations is a concern for predicted immune evasion and transmissibility,” said de Oliveira.

“What gives us some concerns (is) that this variant might have not just have enhanced transmissibility, so spread more efficiently, but might also be able to get around parts of the immune system and the protection we have in our immune system,” he said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/...-not-yet-clear