New COVID-19 variant detected in Punjab
LAHORE: Health authorities in Punjab, which is bearing the brunt of COVID-19 deaths and new infections, have detected a novel/unknown variant of the virus that is yet to be named.
The virus may be local mutation and the health experts and the researchers have joined heads to expand the scope of investigation as they believe that the novel variant may have a higher infectivity rate than the previous ones and may “lead the province to a new epidemic” if not curtailed timely.
In a related disturbing development, Punjab continues to investigate the gene-sequencing of the variant and its relevance with existing or previous circulations. Punjab got first time evidence of presence of South African virus in the province not long ago, an official said.
He said the South African variant of the coronavirus contained a number of mutations known to be different in nature.
Sharing further details, the official said recently a top health body of the United Kingdom — Public Health England (PHE) — had alerted Islamabad that two Pakistani citizens came from Faisalabad and Sialkot were carrying African virus. He said this development had raised eyebrows of the health experts working on the latest research and sent an alarm about emerging challenges.
Following the UK’S alert, the researchers and health experts joined heads in Punjab to launch an exhaustive work to compile the initial findings/ study. The study was carried out at two reference labs where the prime objective of the experts was to find out reasons/factors behind recent massive circulation of the infection.
He said that the number of various kinds of viruses in Punjab reached three ater the detection of the South African variant as reported by the UK’S top health body.
Out of the total infections in Punjab, the official said, the UK variant was found in most patients in the start of the third wave. He said Punjab’s virologists are investigating whether this new mutation is the prime reason behind ongoing sudden surge in mortality and new infections.
The virus, the official confided, could be a mutated form of different variants. Data collection of Pathogenicity and lethality is under way.
In Pakistan, the first two waves had viruses of Iranian and Chinese origin with 10 per cent cases linked to Western Europe circulation. The current third spike is fast and mostly cases were linked to the UK variant.
Theofficialsaidthedetectionofanotherunknown and new variant virus had posed serious threats.