The National Institute for Communicable Diseases in South Africa has reported that scientists are monitoring a new variant of the coronavirus that has gradually increased in prevalence over recent months and possesses an unusual mutation rate. The new variant, known as C.1.2, was reported last week in an unpublished study which indicated that it changes its genetic makeup at a rate twice as fast as other known variants.
Currently, the majority of COVID-19 cases in South Africa are caused by the Delta variant, which was first identified in India, but C.1.2 has drawn the attention of scientists due to its nearly double mutation speed compared to others. Infections with the new variant have been recorded across all provinces of South Africa and in other parts of the world, including China, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. However, it is not common enough to be classified as "of interest" or "of concern," unlike the Delta and Beta variants that emerged in South Africa in 2020, both of which are highly transmissible.
Scientists at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases stated that the new variant is "only present at very low levels" and that it is too early to determine its evolution. According to Penny Moore, a researcher at the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases, "At this stage, we have no experimental data to confirm how it interacts in terms of antibody sensitivity." She added, "We are quite confident that the vaccines distributed in South Africa will continue to protect us from severe cases and death." South Africa is the most affected country in Africa by COVID-19, having recorded 2.7 million cases so far, including 81,830 deaths.
