New COVID strain found in the UK - Here are all your questions about the N5017 answered - watsupptoday.com
New COVID strain found in the UK - Here are all your questions about the N5017 answered
Posted 22 Dec 2020 02:59 PM

TIMES NOW

New COVID strain found in the UK - Here are all your questions about the N5017 answered

22-12-2020

Just when we thought that the COVID-19 pandemic may soon be behind us, a new strain of the novel coronavirus has been reported in the UK. The strain has caused thousands of infections already and has become a concern globally. Even as vaccinations begin in various parts of the world, including the country where the strain has been reported from, this is not the first time that mutations in the coronavirus have been reported. Previously, a new mutation was reported in Malaysia, which seemed to have already spread to the rest of the world. The latest mutation, reported from the UK is called the N5017. Here is all you need to know about the latest strain of the novel coronavirus.

Is the new strain of novel coronavirus highly contagious and transmissible?
According to a report in Inspired Traveler, British government scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said on Saturday that this new variant of SARS-CoV-2, in addition to spreading rapidly, was becoming the �dominant� form, which led to �a very strong rise� in hospital admissions in December. According to experts, it appears to be between 40 per cent and 70 per cent more transmissible.� Information about the transmissibility is, of course, worrisome, given how the coronavirus spread so rapidly all across the world. However, on Monday, the WHO said that while the new coronavirus variant discovered in Britain has a higher transmission rate, it is not yet out of control and can be contained using existing measures.

Does the new N5017 strain increase mortality or death risk?
While high transmissibility may be a cause of concern, experts suggest that there is no indication at the moment that this new strain causes a higher mortality rate.

Will the new strain affect vaccines and current treatments for COVID-19?
According to experts, the new strain of the coronavirus is not likely to affect vaccines and treatments. However, experts are urgently looking into it to understand the changes. Previously, when a mutated strain was reported in Malaysia, it was found that most people around the world were infected with that strain, and therefore, it was unlikely to affect vaccine development. According to a report in news agency AFP, Moncef Slaoui, chief advisor to the Operation Warp Speed vaccine program, said that he expected that lab experiments would show the new strain would respond to existing vaccines and treatments.

Why is the mutation named N5017?
The new strain of the novel coronavirus incorporates a mutation called the N5017 in the coronavirus spike protein. This allows the virus to latch on to human cells, and penetrate them.

Leave a comment: (Your email will not be published)