Scientists have said a new Covid-19 variant, also detected in South Africa, carries an extremely high number of mutations which may drive further waves of the disease by evading the body’s defences.

Published on

25 November 2021

This is according to a report in The Guardian newspaper. The B.1.1.529 variant was first spotted in Botswana, where 3 cases have now been sequenced. 6 more have been confirmed in South Africa, and one in Hong Kong in a traveller returning from South Africa. Only 10 cases in 3 countries have been confirmed by gee-noh-mic sequencing, but the variant has sparked serious concern among some researchers because a number of the mutations may help the virus evade immunity.

Merentia Van Der Vent

Merentia joined the media world in 1996 and in 2001, she took her first steps in the broadcasting world. In her free time, she likes to go on adventures in the city. She also likes to learn new dances, not that she is any good at that.