Two strains of coronavirus that emerged in California last summer and fall have been declared ‘variants of concern’ by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Health officials think that each variant is about 20 percent more transmissible than the currently dominant ‘original’ variant, based on early data. Lab studies also suggest that some … Read more
Weekly totals of coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States are continuing to slowly decline, but experts worry that plateauing figures, and the emergence of variants, could undo the progress the country has made. Over the last seven days, the nation has reported 381,549 new infections, marking the fourth day in a row weekly … Read more
Two highly infectious coronavirus variants now make up more than half of new cases in New York City. At a press conference on Wednesday, health officials revealed that the UK variant, known as B.1.1.7, and the homegrown New York City variant, B.1.526, now account for 51 percent of infections. The city’s pandemic response lab found B.1.526 … Read more
Immunity produced by white blood cells is ‘not substantially affected’ by mutated coronavirus variants, scientists have found. Experts were concerned the current jabs might not work as well against the South African and Brazilian variants because they changed its shape. Studies found disease-fighting proteins called antibodies were less effective in the face of the new strains, … Read more
The coronavirus could be reaching a ‘plateau’ in its evolution, a government and Cambridge University scientist suggested today. Professor Sharon Peacock, who runs the Covid Genomics Consortium tracking new variants of the virus, said fewer new mutations are cropping up in the virus and it is showing ‘convergent evolution’ in which unconnected variants look the … Read more
Russia’s Sputnik V Covid vaccine works well against UK and South African variants of the virus, researchers say Vladimir Putin green-lit approval for mass-use of Sputnik V in Russia last August Last month is order review of the vaccine’s effectiveness against new variants Researchers suggest the Russian-made shot protects against UK and South African variants … Read more
Matt Hancock today claimed the new cases of coronavirus ‘variants of concern’ are falling despite a Public Health England update showing they higher than last week. The Health Secretary said confirmed cases of these mutated versions of the virus are ‘fallen quite sharply’ and that only 12 were discovered last week, boasting ‘the measures we … Read more
Matt Hancock today claimed the new cases of coronavirus ‘variants of concern’ are falling despite a Public Health England update showing they higher than last week. The Health Secretary said confirmed cases of these mutated versions of the virus are ‘fallen quite sharply’ and that only 12 were discovered last week, boasting ‘the measures we … Read more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investing almost $200 million to help better identify and track coronavirus variants. Currently, the federal agency maps the DNA no more than 0.5 percent of all positive samples of the virus. But, described as a ‘down payment,’ officials say the money will help scale-up the number … Read more
A hybrid version of the coronavirus has surfaced in California after the UK’s Kent variant and a strain found in the US merged together inside an infected person. The variant, which has not yet been named, has been spotted once in California but scientists say there are likely to be more cases. It has not … Read more