“Mu”, the new variant of the coronavirus monitored by the WHO – The HuffPost

The variant – B.1.621 according to scientific nomenclature – has so far been classified as a “variant to be monitored”, said the WHO in its weekly epidemiological bulletin on the evolution of the pandemic.

The WHO specifies that the variant presents mutations which could indicate a risk of “immune escape” (vaccine resistance), and stresses that further studies are needed to better understand its characteristics. At this point, nothing indicates that it could supplant the Delta variant.

Changes under close surveillance

All viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 responsible for Covid-19, mutate over time. Most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus.

However, some mutations can affect the properties of the virus and affect, for example, the ease with which it is spread, the severity of the disease it causes or the effectiveness of vaccines, drugs, diagnostic tools or other social and public health measures.

The appearance, at the end of 2020, of variants that presented an increased risk to global public health led the WHO to characterize variants to be monitored and variants of concern, in order to prioritize surveillance and research activities at the global level.

The Mu variant detected for the first time in Colombia

The WHO has decided to name the variants to follow or of concern using letters of the Greek alphabet, in order to avoid any stigmatization of a particular country and to make it easier for the general public to pronounce the names.

Currently, the WHO considers that four variants are of concern, including the Alpha variants, present in 193 countries, and Delta, present in 170 countries, while five other variants are to be monitored (including Mu).

The Mu variant was first detected in Colombia in January. It has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.

“Although the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has decreased and is currently less than 0.1%, its prevalence in Colombia (39%) and Ecuador (13%) has steadily increased”, explained the WHO. .