New strain of coronavirus identified in Brazil

Sao Paulo A group of researchers identified a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, one of the regions worst affected by the pandemic in Brazil, scientific sources reported Tuesday.

According to a study by the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC), affiliated with the Ministry of Science and Technology and conducted in collaboration with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), the new variant was first discovered last October in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the capital of the eponymous state.

The researchers stressed that for now the new variant is “partially limited” to the city, which has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the region, but they warned of a possible spread throughout the state and, consequently, other parts. of the South American country.

“The significant increase in the frequency of this lineage raises concerns about public health management and the need for genomic surveillance during the second wave of infections,” said the scientists in the study, co-ordinated by researcher Ana Tereza Vasconcelos. .

The new strain was discovered by genetic sequencing of the B.1.1.28 line, which has been circulating in Brazil since the beginning of the year, and the variant is estimated to have surfaced in July.

The researchers analyzed 180 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and discovered five “unique mutations” that “have emerged and are spreading rapidly.”

However, the study does not indicate whether the newly identified strain is more transmissible or more aggressive than those known in Brazil.

Also, the scientists noted that there is no “evidence” that the variant can reduce the effectiveness of vaccines against the virus, which are just beginning to spread worldwide.

The state of Rio de Janeiro is the second region in Brazil, after Sao Paulo, with the highest absolute number of deaths from the disease, with nearly 25,000 deaths, and the sixth with the most confirmed cases (407,575).

Across the country, which has about 210 million inhabitants, the coronavirus leaves more than 187,000 dead and 7.2 million infected.

In recent weeks, Brazil has witnessed another outbreak of the pathogen, forcing several states and municipalities to tighten restrictive measures for the year-end holidays, which have even been canceled in several locations.