According to the Business Standard news agency , experts from the South African National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute have identified a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 and named it C.1.2.
This interesting strain was first detected in Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces in May this year as South Africa prepares to enter the third Covid-19 wave . As of the middle of this month, C.1.2 has appeared in most of South Africa’s provinces and in many other countries.
"C.1.2 was present in most provinces of South Africa and seven other countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania," the study authors said.
According to the study, C.1.2 has a total of 59 mutations compared to the first strain of SARS-CoV-2 discovered in Wuhan, China. Among those mutations are mutations that can increase the infectivity of the virus, reducing the effectiveness of antibodies.
Scientists are now continuing to monitor the spread of this strain and assess whether the new mutations make the C.1.2 strain more contagious and easier to avoid immunity.
To date, the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed four strains as "worrisome" including Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta - strains that are more contagious and avoid antibodies. While the group of mutants of interest has been named includes Eta, Iota, Kappa and Lambda.
