Redeemer’s University scientists identify 7 lineages of COVID-19 unique to Nigeria

Scientists at the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria, have turned their attention to resolving whether coronavirus (Covid-19) can mutate in proportions that could become more debilitating to people.

As of September 7, 2020, Nigeria has recorded 55, 160 active Covid-19 cases out of 424,186 samples tested. Of this figure, 43,231 people have been discharged and 1061 deaths recorded. The number of daily cases has, however, remained low in recent times.

The study carried out through genome sequencing has turned up seven lineages unique to Nigeria. According to a statement from the research undertaken at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.

The first lineage represents viral sequences from China and global exports including South East Asia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the US and Europe.

The second lineage represents a viral sequence from the Italian outbreak. The third represents a new European lineage. The fourth represents sequences from the UK, Iceland and Turkey.

The fifth represents sequences from Netherlands, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Finland and England. The sixth represents a sequence from the Netherlands. The seventh represents sequences from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Finland and England.

Globally, there is only one strain of SARS-COV-2, which is also the same as the strain circulating in Nigeria. However, there are more than 1,000 lineages of this novel virus in circulation around the world. Why is it important?

The idea behind categorising coronavirus or SARSCOV-2 under lineages comes from the mutative nature of all viruses.

In most cases, mutations have no functional consequences for the virus. In other words the mutations do not have an adverse effect on the body it infects. The amino acid change does not make the virus able to cause disease (not pathogenic), more or less transmissible (contagious), or more or less disease causing (virulent).

Mutations often lead to a new ‘lineage’ of the virus. This is different from a new strain. The Nigerian scientists, however, noted that any mutation that changes the level of disease - like make the virus more dangerous to the human body, transmission becomes a new strain.