GENETIC researchers in South Africa on a new possible COVID-19 variant after new lineage was seen that carries the same features with Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants.
This new variant, called C.1.2, has spread across South Africa and some parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific, according to the researchers’ report.
Researchers have mentioned in a statement that they are not still sure whether this variant’s mutation is dangerous or not but also has the feature to become transmissible and to evade the immune system.
Together with the researchers, virologist Penny Moore of South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases assured that they are keeping an eye on this variant.
The variant has been detected in South Africa after its third wave of infection last May 2021 and has also been seen in various parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
According to the World Health Organization, C.1.2 is yet to be confirmed as this is not yet a variant of interest and the agency only classified the names of variants of concern such as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Lambda variants.
Maria van Kerkhove, technical lead on COVID-19 for WHO, mentioned that there were few people who were diagnosed and found that it is C.1.2. WHO assures the public that they will update people as this variant has not circulated that much yet.