COVID debuts new 'Mu' variant

September 6, 2021

COVID-19: New Mu variant could be more vaccine-resistant

In its w33kly epidemiological update, published 0n Tuesday, WH0 warned it was becoming increasingly prevalent in C0l0mbia and Ecuad0r, and showed signs of possible resistance to vaccines.

Mu was first identified in C0l0mbia in January 2021, and since then, there have been “sporadic reports” of cases and outbreaks in South America and Europe, WHO said.

While the global prevalence 0f Mu am0ng sequenced COVID-19 cases is below 0.1%, its prevalence has “consistently increased” in C0l0mbia and Ecuador, where it is now responsible for around 39% and 13% of infections, respectively.

Reports on the variant’s prevalence should be “interpreted with due consideration” given the low sequencing capacity of most countries, the agency said.

Mu is the fifth variant 0f interest to be monitored by the WH0 since March. It has a number of mutations that suggest it could be more resistant to vaccines, the health agency warned, but stressed that further research would be needed to confirm this.

Preliminary data show a reduced effectiveness of vaccines “similar to that seen for the Beta variant”. The WH0 said it would be monitoring “the epidemiology of the Mu variant in South America, particularly with the co-circulation of the Delta variant…for changes”

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/09/1098942

Throwback to January 2020:

September 6, 2021

Can