LONDON — The COVID-19-causing coronavirus is mutating as it spreads around the world in the pandemic, but none of the mutations currently documented appears to be making it able to spread more rapidly, scientists said Wednesday. In a study using a global dataset of virus genomes from 46,723 people with COVID-19 from 99 countries, researchers identified more than 12,700 mutations, or changes, in the SARS-CoV-2 virus. ADVERTISEMENT“Fortunately, we found that none of these mutations are making COVID-19 spread more rapidly,” said Lucy van Dorp, a professor at University College London’s Genetics Institute and one of the co-lead researchers on the study. Most mutations are neutral, but some can be either advantageous or detrimental to the virus, and some can make vaccines against them less effective. ADVERTISEMENTAmong more than 12,706 mutations identified, some 398 appeared to have occurred repeatedly and independently, the researchers said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 25, 2020 12:55 UTC