This variant is more contagious and more lethal
Mérida, Yucatán, (April 08, 2021).- On Wednesday, April 7th, during the daily conference of the Ministry of Health in the National Palace, it was confirmed that in Yucatan a case of the coronavirus variant B.1.1.7 known as ‘ British Variant ‘ was detected, the same of which there are 33 cases identified in Mexico.
Currently, 4,407 cases of different variants have been detected in México.
This British variant, according to the federal agency report, is also present in Tamaulipas, with 9 infections; Nuevo León, with 3; Jalisco, with 2 and Guerrero, Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Mexico City, and Yucatan with 1 case in each state.
More contagious and deadly
According to the results of an investigation recently published in the journal Science, with the title “Estimated transmissibility and impact of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 in England”, this variant of the coronavirus was detected in November last year in England.
The variant is called B.1.1.7, and it is between 43 and 90 percent more contagious than the original.
Also, it is 58 percent more lethal , particularly among those over 85 years of age.
Also, the risk of dying increases from 13 to 20 percent in women and from 17 to 26 percent in men .
British variant, with more transmission capacity
“Five months ago the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 appeared in the United Kingdom and this new variant is 50 percent more transmissible than others”, explained Dr. Rosa María Ángel Núñez, a researcher at the Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis at CIinvestav, of the National Polytechnic Institute.
In an interview for Prisma RU of Radio UNAM, the specialist commented that viruses during transport or infection in the hosts, develop certain mutations naturally.
Coronaviruses have a lower mutation rate, but they have had it since their appearance because they have moved from one individual to another in different geographical areas.
Covid becomes easier to transmit
The specialist explained that these mutations can cause radical changes in the virus that make them more virulent; these changes are called a new strain.
However, he pointed out that the infection it produces is the same, with the same severity, what changes is its transmission capacity.
He also commented that vaccines that have already been approved have the ability to detect this variant and neutralize it, but the presence of variants must continue to be monitored.
“We have to remain pending because the transmissibility is greater, we must continue with healthy distance, hand washing, the mandatory use of face masks, and not go to closed places with large numbers of people.”
These measures must continue, at least all of 2021, since 70 percent of vaccination will be achieved at the beginning of the first quarter of 2022.
How to avoid the new variant?
The only way to combat its spread is to maintain closure and confinement at home, and do not forget to continue with preventive measures such as the use of face masks, hand washing, healthy distance, and the use of antibacterial gel.
Source: Sipse
