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The UK variant of the coronavirus, which is most responsible for the current pandemic wave, is still the most common. But it is no longer responsible for 100 percent. falling ill with COVID-19. The European variant returns. What other variants are most common in our country?
- Since the beginning of the pandemic, many variants of the coronavirus have appeared around the world
- In the classification of global and European health organizations, three variants of SARS-CoV-2 belong to the “emergency” category. These include: British, Brazilian and South African
- The British dominated the currently ongoing third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
- How often do we have other variants of the coronavirus, including the most dangerous?
- You can find more up-to-date information on the coronavirus on the Onet homepage
«Already over 8,2 samples sequenced from the beginning of the year to the end of April as part of monitoring variants of the virus present in Poland »wrote on Twitter Adam Niedzielski, while presenting detailed data on COVID-19 variants in Poland.
The data on the website “Monitor SARS-CoV-2 variants in Europe” shows that from the beginning of the year to the end of April, over a dozen variants of the coronavirus were discovered in our country in the GISAID database that collects data on the SARS-CoV-2 genomes.
The most common is the British variant (20I / 501Y.V1 or B.1.1.7), marked in red on the map. He appeared in Poland in January, and in April he was responsible for almost 100 percent. cases of infections. With the end of the month, its share began to decline. It still dominates, but the 20A variant (green) is responsible for an increasing percentage of cases.
This is the European variant, which before the “British era” was the most widespread, both in Poland and throughout Europe. 20A dominated in the fall, it first appeared in Spain in the summer, from where it was distributed across the continent.
The European variant is safer than the British, less contagious and less lethal.
Among the many variants of the coronavirus that have appeared in the world, the so-called Variants of Concern (VOC) The World Health Organization and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control recognize three. In addition to the British, they are also Brazilian and South African (the American CDC also recognizes Californian as such). Both possess the N501Y mutation, which increases the virus’s ability to bind to human cells.
As for the Brazilian variant, marked with the symbol P.1, as shown in the table below, two sequences containing it were identified in Poland by the end of April. However, on Thursday, May 6, Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said about three cases of the Brazilian variant of the coronavirus. They were discovered in Silesia.
- The most dangerous variants of the coronavirus. What do we know about them?
In turn, the South African variant, marked with the symbol B.1.351, appeared in 22 sequences. This strain was first discovered in February.
The Californian variant has not been found in Poland so far.
The next few variants are “Variants of Interest” (VOI).
They include, among others Indian strain B.1.617. Data from the Variant Monitor speak of 5 sequences identified by the end of April, but a few days ago the Ministry of Health spoke about a dozen cases, and today (May 6) Minister Niedzielski informed about two new outbreaks located near Warsaw.
- What do we know about the Indian variant of the coronavirus?
Another variant of the VOI is the Nigerian B.1.525. In the first four months of this year, 9 sequences with this strain were recorded.
The table also shows variants B.1.1, B.1.221, B.1.258, B.1.1.153 or B.1.177. And although in some cases the number of identified sequences is three-digit, these strains do not cause concern among scientists. They are no more dangerous than the European one that ruled on our continent last year.
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