The new Corona variant Mu is currently worrying specialists. The current vaccines may no longer work against the mutant.
Kassel – The World Health Authority is concerned about a new Corona * variant. The WHO has classified this as a “variant of interest”. Apparently she is more resistant to vaccines.
It is the variant Mu , which was first identified in Colombia in January, as the WHO wrote on Wednesday a week ago (01.09.2021) in its weekly corona report. As Marcela Mercado from the South American country’s national health authority said, Mu is now the predominant virus strain and is responsible for the majority of Covid-19 deaths.
Because of Mu, there is the deadliest wave of the corona pandemic in Colombia to date, Mercado told a local radio station. And not only that: “It is now in at least 43 countries and has shown itself to be highly contagious.”
Corona variant Mu may be resistant to vaccines
According to the WHO, there are indications that the antibodies in people who have recovered from corona or who have been vaccinated may be even less effective against the corona variant Mu than against other virus variants. But further studies are necessary for this.
In total, there are five “variants of interest” that are being followed with particular attention. There are also four “worrying variants”, including the Corona variant Delta, which is now also predominantly widespread in Europe.
The mu variant has been detected in some countries in South America and Europe, writes the WHO. Genetic studies of the virus are available from 39 countries. According to current estimates, the share of the corona variant worldwide is only 0.1 percent. In Colombia, however, it is 38 percent and in Ecuador 13 percent, and the proportion is growing. However, the WHO refers to the different capacities of countries to examine viruses genetically.
Variant Mu: Corona mutant also in the focus of the EU
The new Corona variant is also being closely monitored in the European Union. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) classifies Mu as “potentially of concern”. Although the EMA is mainly concentrating on the highly contagious Delta variant, it is also investigating other variants such as the Mu variant, said the head of vaccine strategy, Marco Cavaleri, on Thursday (09.09.2021).
“I have to say, however, that we don’t yet have any data showing whether the mu variant is spreading heavily and whether it has any chance of overtaking the delta variant as the predominant strain of the virus,” said Cavaleri. However, the EMA will consult with the vaccine developers about the effectiveness of the available corona vaccines * against the Mu variant.
New Corona variant: Karl Lauterbach warns of Mu
The SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach * warned against Mu on Twitter. The Corona variant was “more resistant to BionTech or antibodies recovered than ALL other variants,” wrote Lauterbach on the short message service and added: “If a variant like Mu is also too contagious mutated that would be extremely dangerous. Possible at any time for billions of people who have not been vaccinated. “
It is normal for viruses to mutate. Most mutations are harmless and do not change the properties of pathogens. Against the background of rising numbers of infections worldwide, experts fear the emergence of a new virus variant in the case of Sars-CoV-2, which could have an impact on the effectiveness of the available corona vaccines. (tvd / AFP) * hna.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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