New variants or strains of the virus that causes Covid-19 have been seen almost since it was first detected in China nearly a year ago. The strain is also concerning because it has so many mutations — nearly two dozen — and some are on the spiky protein that the virus uses to attach to and infect cells. In April, researchers in Sweden found a virus with two genetic changes that seemed to make it roughly two times more infectious, Gupta said. A new South African strain has the two changes seen before, plus some others. The one in the UK has the two changes and more, including eight to the spike protein, Gupta said.

Source: Manila Times December 21, 2020 16:30 UTC