Covid, Peruvian variant Lambda becomes “of interest” for WHO

Lambda, the mutation of Sars-Cov-2 identified for the first time in Peru in August 2020 and present in several Latin American countries, becomes a ‘variant of interest’. This was announced by the World Health Organization in the weekly epidemiological update. Lambda, which has been monitored for some time, has been associated with substantial rates of community transmission in multiple countries, with a prevalence increasing over time in conjunction with the increase in the incidence of Covid-19. As of June 15, the variant was identified in 29 countries, with greater circulation in Latin America, in particular Chile (31% overall prevalence), Peru (9%), Ecuador (8%) and Argentina (3%). According to Peruvian authorities, WHO reports, 81% of Covid-19 cases diagnosed since last April in the country are associated with the Lambda strain.