A new coronavirus strain called B.1.1529 found in
South Africa has emerged as a major concern for scientists because the strain
apparently has an unusually large number of mutations. The strain is likely to
have evolved from an immunocompromised and possibly untreated HIV/AIDS patient,
according to a statement issued by Francois Balloux, director of the UCL
Genetics Institute.

According to Balloux, the actual transmissibility of
the strain remains difficult to predict at the time and it should be closely
monitored and analysed. “But there is no reason to get overly concerned, unless
it starts going up in frequency in the near future.”

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Officials of the World Health Organization (WHO) met
Thursday to discuss the new variant circulating in South Africa and Botswana.
South Africa has already reported 22 cases of the new coronavirus variant,
according to a statement issued by the country’s National Institute of
Communicable Diseases (NICD).

Adiran Puren, NICD’s acting executive director, said
that he is not surprised that a new variant has been detected in South Africa. “Although
the data are limited, our experts are working overtime with all the established
surveillance systems to understand the new variant and what the potential
implications could be.”

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Earlier, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention said that it will meet South African officials next week to discuss
a new variant in the country.

The B.1.1.529 variant has 32 mutations in the spike
protein. These mutations in the spike protein to infect cells and spread, but
also make it harder for immune cells to attack the pathogen.

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The very first cases of the new variant were found in
Botswana on November 11. Three days later, a case was recorded in South Africa.
Since then, there has been a steep rise in cases in Gauteng, an urban area
containing Pretoria and Johannesburg, where B.1.1.529 cases have been detected.