New dangerous Covid variant which may surpass vaccines identified
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New Delhi: A new variant of COVID has been found in South Africa and some other countries. Scientists have found that the faster-spreading variant may outperform the vaccine's efficacy.
The study was conducted jointly by scientists from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and the Squeezing Platform in South Africa. The more dangerous variant, C.1.2, was first identified in May.
The C.1.2 COVID variant is currently confirmed in China, Congo, Mauritius, England, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland. South Africa is experiencing a steady increase in the number of people affected by C.1.2, from 0.2 per cent in May to 1.6 per cent in June and 2 per cent in July.
The new COVID variant is likely to spread just like the delta variant. Scientists estimate that the C.1.2 variant is undergoing several modifications. The researchers also point out that the conversion rate of C.1.2 is higher than other variants.