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<ul><li>The <keyword id="10466854" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-COVID-19-variant" source="Orion">new COVID-19 variant</keyword> B.1.1529 has an unusually large number of mutations.</li><li>Officials have expressed concern that the mutation could lead to immune evasion and enhanced transmissibility of the virus.</li><li>The central government has asked all states and union territories (UT) to closely track and test the international travellers from Botswana, <keyword id="6355117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="south-africa" source="Orion">South Africa</keyword> and Hong Kong coming to <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>.</li></ul>After the Delta variant, a new COVID-19 variant named ‘B.1.1529’, which was found in South Africa, is making headlines now. According to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), three cases in Botswana, six cases in South Africa and one case in Hong Kong of this new variant have so far been detected. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How is the B.1.1529 variant different from other variants?" comment="subhead" text="How is the B.1.1529 variant different from other variants?">How is the B.1.1529 variant different from other variants?</cmsannotation> The significance of this variant is that it has an unusually large number of mutations. “It is likely to have evolved during a chronic infection of an immuno-compromised person, possibly in an untreated Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patient,” said virologist <keyword id="11996944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tulio-de-oliveira" source="Orion">Tulio de Oliveira</keyword>, director of the Center for Epidemic Response and Innovation in a news briefing. He said, “It is spreading very fast and we expect to see pressure in the health system in the next few days and weeks.” He has also advised people to avoid super spreading events. A genomic scientist in that same news briefing said, “The variant has an unusually high number of mutations, with more than 30 in the<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/06/health/mutations-coronavirus-vaccine-evade/index.html"> </a>key spike protein — the structure the virus uses to get into the cells they attack”. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Data about the new variant is limited" comment="subhead" text="Data about the new variant is limited">Data about the new variant is limited</cmsannotation> Officials have expressed concern that the mutation could lead to immune evasion and enhanced transmissibility of the virus and also said that it is too early to tell what kind of impact the mutations will have on vaccine efficacy, as reported by news agency CNN. Adrian Puren, acting executive director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), said in a statement, “Although the data are limited, our experts are working overtime with all the established surveillance systems to understand the new variant and what the potential implications could be. Developments are occurring at a rapid pace and the public has our assurance that we will keep them up to date". <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is the Indian government saying about the new variant?" comment="subhead" text="What is the Indian government saying about the new variant?">What is the Indian government saying about the new variant?</cmsannotation> In the wake of this new mutation, the central government has asked all states and union territories (UT) to closely track and test the international travellers from Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong coming to India and has categorised them as ‘at risk’ under country category, as per the official statement released by the <keyword id="83655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-health-ministry" source="Orion">Union Health Ministry</keyword> on November 25. According to a Times of India <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/new-covid-variant-puts-india-on-alert-govt-calls-for-strict-screening-for-travellers-from-3-nations/articleshow/87918888.cms">report</a>, the Centre has also asked the state surveillance officers to establish close coordination with the designated or tagged genome sequencing labs for expediting results of genomic analysis to make sure that the necessary public health measures are taken by the states and UTs during this tough time. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/earthquake-of-6-1-magnitude-hits-india-myanmar-border-region/articleshow/87922521.cms">Earthquake of 6.1 magnitude hits India-Myanmar border region</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/tata-motors-maruti-and-hdfc-are-among-the-top-losers-as-fear-of-the-new-covid-variant/articleshow/87923451.cms">Biggies like Tata Motors, Maruti, and HDFC are among top losers as fear of new COVID variant takes the wind out of Indian stocks</a>

The new COVID-19 variant grabbing global headlines, this is what we know so far about it

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11992087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-africa" source="Orion">South Africa</keyword>'s top public <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> expert has asked billionaires to help fight <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> variants in Africa.</li><li>Tulio de Oliveira said Africa needs financial support "to control and extinguish variants."</li></ul>South Africa's leading public health expert has appealed to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-elon-musk-net-worth-2017-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">world's billionaires</a> for financial support for Africa after a coronavirus <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-track-covid-variant-high-number-mutation-botswana-south-africa-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">variant with a concerning number of mutations</a> emerged in the country.Tulio de Oliveira, director of South Africa's Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, <a href="https://twitter.com/Tuliodna/status/1463911583067815938" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said on Twitter Thursday</a> that the new <keyword id="12004893" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="variant" source="Orion">variant</keyword>, which is now responsible for the majority of new COVID-19 cases in the country, was "really worrisome" in terms of its mutations.de Oliveira pleaded to "all billionaires in this world" to support Africa financially to "control and extinguish variants," and name-checked Elon <keyword id="11900742" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="musk" source="Orion">Musk</keyword>, Bill <keyword id="6422721" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="gates" source="Orion">Gates</keyword>, and Jeff <keyword id="12615316" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bezos" source="Orion">Bezos</keyword>. He also pleaded with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and others to help finance the fight."By protecting its poor and oppressed population we will protect the world," de Oliveira said. "Our poor and deprived population cannot be in lockdown without financial support."South Africa has been praised for its fast response in detecting the variant, B.1.1.529, and sounding the alarm.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-track-covid-variant-high-number-mutation-botswana-south-africa-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">B.1.1.529 has 32 mutations</a> in the part of the virus that attaches to cells — which is also the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-variant-covid-vaccine-effectiveness-protection-pfizer-moderna-astrazeneca-2021-7?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">target for most existing vaccines</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/astrazeneca-antibody-drug-azd7442-reduced-severe-covid-19-risk-study-2021-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antibody drugs.</a> This could make the virus more infectious, and existing vaccines less effective against it.Adrian Puren, the acting executive director at <a href="https://www.nicd.ac.za/new-covid-19-variant-detected-in-south-africa/">South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases</a>, <a href="https://www.nicd.ac.za/new-covid-19-variant-detected-in-south-africa/">said in a statement Thursday</a> that experts were "working overtime" to understand the new variant and its implications.

A leading public health expert has pleaded with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett to help fight coronavirus variants in Africa

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new <keyword id="11948588" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus-variant" source="Orion">coronavirus variant</keyword>, <keyword id="12609897" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="b-1-1-529" source="Orion">B.1.1.529</keyword>, has spread rapidly in South Africa.</li><li>A chart from the country's Health Department shows how it shot to dominance in one province. </li></ul>A chart from South African officials shows how a new coronavirus variant quickly came to dominate in a province of the country, supplanting the Delta variant.It was shown <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4aTIoZDQk4&amp;t=1039s">in a briefing from South Africa's Department of Health</a> on Thursday warning about the B.1.1.529 variant.As of Friday, the variant had been detected in South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong. Its origin is unclear. Prof. Tulio de Oliveira, director of the Centre for Epidemic Response &amp; Innovation near Cape Town, said the data in the chart is from samples taken in Gauteng province from November 12 to November 22.In that period, B.1.1.529 completely overtook the Delta and Beta variants that were present in Gauteng. The variant has rapidly increased there and is may already be present in most of the country's provinces, he said.B.1.1.529 — represented by the blue part — represented 75% of cases detected within just two weeks. Its ascent was much faster than the Beta (green) and Delta (red) variants, which each took months to become dominant.de Oliveira said that the B.1.1.529 cases were drawn from 77 samples — a relatively small number, but with a clear direction of travel.The Financial Times produced another chart illustrating the speed of the variant's rise:The increase in infections from the variant in Gauteng "shocked" de Oliveira and his colleagues, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMlqRsJ8vuU">he told the South African channel SABC News</a>.One of the biggest fears about the variant is that its high levels of mutation in its spike protein could inhibit the body's immune response, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-track-covid-variant-high-number-mutation-botswana-south-africa-2021-11">as Insider's Dr Catherine Schuster-Bruce reported</a>.Speaking to SABC <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">News</keyword>, de Oliveira said it is too early to know if the vaccine will work against B.1.1.529, but said scientists expect it to hold "against hospitalizations and deaths.""Vaccines are the strongest weapon in our arsenal to fight that virus," he said. He also called for people to avoid mass gatherings and to wear masks as scientists track the variant. The UK has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-travel-ban-variant-in-african-countries-b11529-11">blocked flights from 6 African countries</a> in response to the alarm, with the EU <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-considers-southern-africa-flight-ban-new-coronavirus-variant-2021-11">considering similar moves</a>.

Chart shows how quickly the new coronavirus variant spread in part of South Africa, totally supplanting Delta

South African scientists have detected two new sub-variants of the highly contagious <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> variant - BA.4 and BA.5. According to Tulio de Oliveira, Director of Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), <keyword id="6355117" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="south-africa" source="Orion">South Africa</keyword>, the sub-variants have been detected in South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Germany, Denmark and the UK. Although "early indications show these new sub-lineages are increasing as a share of genomically confirmed cases in South Africa", there is, however, "no cause for alarm as no major spike in cases, admissions or deaths" are seen in the country, de Oliveira shared in a series of tweets. "The complex immunity landscape in South Africa, with high population immunity, is probably one of the main causes of the low infections, hospitalisation, and deaths since the <keyword id="6383835" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="delta" source="Orion">Delta</keyword> and Omicron BA.1 wave," he said. Incidentally, South Africa and Botswana were also the first to report on Omicron in November last year. South Africa was also the first country to be hit by the super mutant and vaccine evading variant of concern, before it became a global wave. BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants are also on the radar of the <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> (WHO). The global health agency said it had begun tracking the two sub-variants because of their "additional mutations that need to be further studied to understand their impact on immune escape potential". Globally, only a few dozen cases of BA.4 and BA.5 have been reported to open access database GISAID. The earliest BA.4 sample reported to GISAID was from South Africa, with a sample collection date of January 10, 2022, the Independent.co.uk reported. However, the accumulation of genomes and geographic spread is more recent, suggesting "that the variant is transmitting successfully", said the UK <keyword id="12483706" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="health-security-agency" source="Orion">Health Security Agency</keyword> in its latest report. Both BA.4 and BA.5 have also been added to the UK agency's monitoring list. One case each of BA.4 has already been detected in Scotland and England, up to March 30, according to the UKHSA. The health officials said there were "potentially biologically significant mutations" in the two variants, the report said. In his thread of tweets, de Oliveira explained that BA.4 and BA.5 share a similar spike profile as BA.2, except for additional mutations: 69-70del, L452R, F486V. But "the good news is that BA.4 and BA.5 (like BA.1) can be identified by proxy marker of SGTF using the Thermo Fisher qPCR assay", de Oliveira said. Although BA.4/BA.5 has many shared mutations with the other Omicron lineages, it also has some differences. The impact of differences on virus phenotype needs to be determined, de Oliveira said, adding that the work is underway to characterise them. Moreover, the researcher also found differences between the sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5. "BA.4 and BA.5 differ from each other by three amino acid mutations outside the spike protein," he explained. The impact of differences on virus phenotype needs to be determined, de Oliveira said, adding that the work is underway to characterise them. "Vaccination remains the key intervention to protect against severe disease, hospitalisation and death from all known variants,a he said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/redbus-launches-redrail-app-aims-to-make-railway-travel-experience-easier/articleshow/90798424.cms">redBus launches 'redRail' app; aims to make railway travel experience easier</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/olas-bhavish-aggarwal-is-reportedly-stepping-away-from-day-to-day-functions/articleshow/90799294.cms">Bhavish Aggarwal is reportedly stepping away from day-to-day functions of Ola to focus more on tech</a>

Two new Omicron sub-variants detected in Africa and Europe

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11992087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-africa" source="Orion">South Africa</keyword> said it is being punished for detecting the new coronavirus variant <keyword id="12616996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword>.</li><li>The US, UK, and Europe have introduced travel restrictions on southern African countries.</li></ul>South Africa complained that it was being punished for detecting the new coronavirus strain Omicron after worldwide travel restrictions on flights from southern Africa were hurriedly introduced."Excellent <keyword id="11896083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="science" source="Orion">science</keyword> should be applauded and not punished," the South African foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-59442129">reported the BBC.</a>"This latest round of travel bans is akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker, it said.The World Health Organization labeled Omicron a coronavirus <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-b11529-coronavirus-variant-of-concern-who-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">"variant of concern"</a> on Friday.Researchers in South Africa detected the first known case on November 9 and <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern">reported</a> the variant to the WHO on November 24.South Africa has some of the world's top epidemiologists and scientists, who have detected emerging coronavirus variants early in their life cycle, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/safrica-says-it-is-being-punished-early-covid-variant-detection-2021-11-27/">Reuters</a> said.Over the weekend, several countries announced travel restrictions for travelers coming from southern African countries, including South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, the Seychelles, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.The US said it would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-restricting-travel-from-african-countries-monday-omicron-variant-reports-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">restrict travel</a> from the region, and European Union member states have also planned to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-considers-southern-africa-flight-ban-new-coronavirus-variant-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">ban flights</a> from southern African countries.The UK, Canada, and Australia have also introduced restrictions.South African officials claimed that the country was facing unfair discrimination."The world should provide support to South Africa and Africa and not discriminate or isolate it," Professor Tulio de Oliveira, the director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, said in a series of <a href="https://twitter.com/Tuliodna/status/1463911554538160130">tweets</a>."We have been very transparent with scientific information. We identified, made data public, and raised the alarm as the infections are just increasing. We did this to protect our country and the world in spite potentially suffering massive discrimination," said Prof. de Oliveira.The government also <a href="https://twitter.com/yodifiji/status/1464609837875085317?s=20">questioned</a> the travel bans, as the Omicron variant has already been detected in Europe and Asia.In a press conference on Friday, health minister Joe Phaahla said: "The same countries that are enacting this kind of knee-jerk, draconian reaction are battling their own waves."On Friday, the WHO <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/who-cautions-against-imposing-travel-restrictions-due-new-variant-2021-11-26/">cautioned countries</a> against hastily imposing travel restrictions linked to the variant, saying they should take a "risk-based and scientific approach."The new travel bans came when South Africa hoped to revitalize its tourism industry after a pandemic slump."Our immediate concern is the damage that these restrictions are causing to families, the travel and tourism industries and business," South African minister Naledi Pandor said in a statement.The country said it had already started engaging countries that have imposed travel bans to persuade them to reconsider.

South Africa says it has been 'punished' rather than 'applauded' for detecting the new Omicron variant

Belgium recorded its first case of the new <keyword id="11948588" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus-variant" source="Orion">coronavirus variant</keyword> seen spreading in southern Africa, its health minister said Friday.Frank Vandenbroucke announced that the B1.1.529 variant was found in an unvaccinated traveler who entered Belgium and tested positive on November 22, <a href="https://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/een-besmetting-met-nieuwe-virusvariant-bevestigd-in-belgie~b6c1932d/">De Morgen reported.</a>"Caution is necessary, but don't panic," Vandenbroucke said, <a href="https://www.hln.be/binnenland/live-minister-vandenbroucke-een-bevestigd-geval-van-nieuwe-variant-in-ons-land-horeca-dicht-om-23-uur-en-maximaal-6-aan-tafel-nachtleven-moet-drie-weken-sluiten~a2063a1d/">Het Laatste Nieuws reported</a>.Previous cases had been restricted to South Africa, Botswana, and a single case in Hong Kong, which was imported by a traveler.The origin of the variant is unclear, but it is spreading in South Africa. A chart shared by health officials there shows how, in less than two weeks, B.1.1.529 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-variant-overtook-south-african-province-2-weeks-chart-2021-11">completely overtook the Delta and Beta variants</a> that were present in one of the country's provinces.The UK <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-travel-ban-variant-in-african-countries-b11529-11">restricted flights</a> from Botswana, South Africa, and four other southern African nations on Thursday.Germany and Belgium imposed flight bans from southern African countries on Friday, while the European Union is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-considers-southern-africa-flight-ban-new-coronavirus-variant-2021-11">considering a bloc-wide ban</a>.

Belgium records Europe's first case of the new coronavirus variant spreading in southern Africa

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Scientists are concerned about the number of mutations in the new <keyword id="12616995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron-variant" source="Orion">Omicron variant</keyword>.</li><li>The mutations might cause the variant to evade antibodies from a previous infection or a vaccine.</li></ul>Genetic mutations in the new <keyword id="12616996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> variant might cause it to spread quickly, even among people who are already fully vaccinated against the <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword>, the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/26/health/omicron-variant-vaccines.html?referringSource=articleShare">reported</a>. Scientists first detected the new variant in South Africa. It has since spread to several other countries, including Israel and Belgium, prompting <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-ban-restrict-travel-from-southern-africa-over-virus-variant-2021-11">a spate of travel restrictions</a> across Europe, Asia, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-restricting-travel-from-african-countries-monday-omicron-variant-reports-2021-11">North America</a>, Insider's Aria Bendix <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-covid-variant-concern-what-we-know-2021-11">reported</a>.It's not clear yet whether existing <keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> vaccines will protect against the variant. Vaccine manufacturers have already begun to consider their options in response to the rise of Omicron, which the World <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">Health</keyword> Organization has labeled a "<a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/26-11-2021-classification-of-omicron-(b.1.1.529)-sars-cov-2-variant-of-concern">variant of concern</a>."That's a distinction given to the most threatening coronavirus variants, according to the WHO. Delta, the variant that surged all throughout the summer in the US, was the last one to receive the label. "This variant did surprise us," Dr. Tulio de Oliveira, the director of the Centre for Epidemic Response &amp; Innovation in South Africa, said at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh4XMueP1zQ" target="_blank" title="" rel="noopener noreferrer">news conference</a> on Thursday. "But the full significance is still uncertain."The WHO in its classification of the Omicron variant said it "has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning."Health officials worry that the mutations might be able to circumvent antibodies that have accumulated in the body after a previous COVID-19 infection or vaccine, the Times reported. Officials at South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases said in a <a href="https://www.nicd.ac.za/new-covid-19-variant-detected-in-south-africa/">statement</a> on Thursday that its experts are "working overtime" "to understand the new variant and what the potential implications could be."As scientists and vaccine manufacturers rush to learn more information about Omicron, virologists and other health officials are still urging people to get vaccinated against the coronavirus — including obtaining a booster shot. "Please get vaccinated and boosted and mask up in public as the mutations in this virus likely result in high level escape from neutralising antibodies," Ravi Gupta, a professor of clinical microbiology at Cambridge University, <a href="https://twitter.com/ravgup33_ravi/status/1463626745651806208">said on Twitter on Wednesday</a>.

The Omicron variant carries a number of genetic mutations that might cause it to spread quickly, even among vaccinated people: report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A woman living with <keyword id="6363554" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="HIV">HIV</keyword> was found to carry the novel <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> for seven months, a new study said.</li><li>Scientist detected 32 mutations to the virus, including some seen in variants of concern.</li><li>It suggests that HIV could contribute to variant evolution, but probably in exceptional cases.</li></ul>A 36-year-old woman with advanced HIV carried the novel coronavirus for 216 days, during which the virus accumulated more than 30 mutations, a new study has found.The case report, which has not been peer-reviewed, was published as <a href="https://www.krisp.org.za/publications.php?pubid=336">a preprint on medRxiv</a> on Thursday.The woman, who has not been named, was identified as a 36-year-old living in <keyword id="6355117" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-africa">South Africa</keyword>.The coronaviruses gathered 13 mutations to the spike protein, which is known to help the virus escape the immune response, and 19 other mutations that could change the behavior of the virus.It is not clear whether the mutations she carried were passed on to others, the Los Angeles Times reported.Some of these mutations have been seen in variants of concern, such as:<ul><li>The E484K mutation, which is part of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-variants-uk-south-africa-brazil-us-facts-questions-2021-1">Alpha variant</a> (B.1.1.7, which was first seen in the UK).</li><li>The N510Y mutation, which is part of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-variants-uk-south-africa-brazil-us-facts-questions-2021-1">Beta variant</a> (B.1.351, which was first seen in South Africa).</li></ul>If more such cases are found, it raises the prospect that HIV infection could be a source of new variants simply because the patients could carry the virus for longer, Tulio de Oliveira, a geneticist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban and the study's author, told <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/covid-19-collides-hiv-aids-100051925.html">the LA Times</a>.But it is probably the exception rather than the rule for people living with HIV, because prolonged infection requires severe immunocompromise, Dr. Juan Ambrosini, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Barcelona, told Insider. Indeed, the woman in the case study was immunosuppressed.The findings are important for the control of COVID-19 because these patients could be a continuous source of transmission and evolution of the virus, Ambrosini said.<h2>Immunosuppressed patients could carry the coronavirus longer than others</h2>This case could easily have gone unnoticed, de Oliveira told the LA Times.This was because after the woman was treated in the hospital for her initial symptoms, she displayed only mild symptoms of COVID-19, even though she was still carrying the coronavirus, de Oliveira said.Scientists only spotted this case because she was enrolled in a study of 300 people with HIV looking at their immune response to COVID-19.The researchers also found that four other people with HIV had carried the coronavirus for longer than a month, they told the LA Times.Only one other case of a person with HIV carrying the coronavirus for a prolonged period of time had been published previously.Some patients who have been immunosuppressed for other reasons have been seen to carry the coronavirus for prolonged periods of time, Ambrosini told Insider. For instance, he said, there have been reported cases of people with kidney transplants testing positive for almost a year.The finding could be of particular importance for Africa, which had about <a href="https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/UNAIDS_FactSheet_en.pdf">26 million people living with HIV</a> in 2020. The WHO on Friday warned that a <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/556810-who-warns-of-continent-wide-third-wave-in-africa">sharp rise in COVID-19 cases</a> could turn into a continentwide third wave of COVID-19.

A woman with HIV had the coronavirus for 216 days. The virus mutated at least 30 times inside her.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> <keyword id="12004893" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="variant" source="Orion">variant</keyword> has been identified in <keyword id="12609898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="botswana" source="Orion">Botswana</keyword> and <keyword id="11992087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-africa" source="Orion">South Africa</keyword>.</li><li>Dubbed <keyword id="12609897" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="b-1-1-529" source="Orion">B.1.1.529</keyword>, it has many mutations, concerning scientists and the World Health Organization.</li></ul>The <keyword id="11901422" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-kingdom" source="Orion">United Kingdom</keyword> is adding six African countries to its "red" travel list and is temporarily suspending flights over concerns about a new coronavirus variant.Sajid Javid, the UK secretary of state for health and social care, made the announcement Thursday soon after the World Health Organization gave a briefing about the variant, dubbed B.1.1.529. It was initially identified in Botswana. Cases have sprung up there and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4aTIoZDQk4">in South Africa</a>.South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe are now set to enter the UK's <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/uk-travel-red-list/index.html">red list</a> on Friday, restricting travel from them.Javid said that the variant hadn't been detected in the UK yet and that its implications were still unclear. But based on the early indications, it may be more transmissible than the <keyword id="11894307" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="delta" source="Orion">Delta</keyword> variant and the latest vaccines may be less effective against it, he said."Our scientists are deeply concerned about this variant," Javid said during <a href="https://news.sky.com/video/covid-19-our-scientists-are-deeply-concerned-health-sec-12478839">the briefing</a>. "I'm concerned, of course — that's one of the reasons we have taken this action."Delta, a variant first spotted <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/first-us-covid-delta-variant-cases-how-did-it-mutate-1617871">in 2020</a>, now accounts for an estimated 99.9% of new coronavirus cases in the US, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Health/coronavirus-cases-hospitalizations-rise-us/story?id=81376177">per ABC News</a>. It had <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02039-y">mutations</a> that helped make it more infectious compared with prior strains.The newest variant, which will most likely be assigned a Greek nickname from WHO similar to Delta and the formerly dominant Alpha variant, has more than 50 mutations overall, and more than 30 on the spike protein, Tulio de Oliveira, the director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation in South Africa, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4aTIoZDQk4">said during a briefing</a> Thursday.The variant seems to be responsible for an uptick in coronavirus cases in South Africa, per officials. At least 100 cases have been confirmed through <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/scientists-call-for-travel-code-red-over-covid-variant-found-in-southern-africa?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other">sequencing samples</a>, up from just 10 recorded cases on Wednesday.After Sunday morning, people traveling into the UK from the designated African countries will need to quarantine for 10 days in government-approved hotels, per Javid. Starting midday Friday, the government is suspending all flights from the countries until the hotel quarantine system is up and running, according to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-52544307">the BBC</a>.WHO officials plan to meet Friday to further analyze the situation. Javid stressed how much remains unknown about the variant but said the restrictions were meant to protect the UK's progress to date."It's a real reminder to us all that this pandemic is not over," he said.

UK suspending flights from 6 African countries over new coronavirus variant fears: 'Our scientists are deeply concerned'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new <keyword id="11948588" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus-variant" source="Orion">coronavirus variant</keyword> was found in southern Africa. Experts worry it could be the worst so far.</li><li>Scientists had warned that a dangerous variant could emerge if there wasn't global vaccine access.</li></ul>As <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> vaccines were produced, approved, and rolled out, health experts said the doses needed to make it around the world, not just to the richest countries.This was needed, they said, to reduce the rates of death and serious illness in poorer nations, and to protect their populations.They also mentioned another reason: The more the virus spreads, the more likely it is to mutate and result in a strain that could become more dangerous to everyone, including the vaccinated.<h2>A worrying variant found</h2>A new variant, dubbed B.1.1.529, has been mostly identified in Botswana and South Africa, as well as in Hong Kong, where it was imported by a traveler.A relatively small number of cases has been discovered so far, but the variant has been spreading rapidly, officials said.Experts are describing B.1.1.529 as worrying, pointing to its high number of mutations, which means it could render existing antibodies, vaccines, and treatments less effective, as Insider's Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-track-covid-variant-high-number-mutation-botswana-south-africa-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">reported</a>.Scientists are trying to figure out whether it's more infectious, more deadly, or both.Many experts have already said that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/25/what-do-we-know-about-the-new-worst-ever-covid-variant">it's the worst variant</a> they've seen since the pandemic began.It's not clear exactly where the new variant developed. It could have been in South Africa, in Botswana, in a neighboring country, or somewhere else entirely.But both those countries have low vaccination rates, and they've documented the struggle in securing doses, including <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-11/botswana-leader-says-world-never-as-divided-as-over-vaccines">accusing</a> rich nations of <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-23/south-africa-s-ramaphosa-says-rich-nations-are-vaccine-hoarding">hoarding</a> vaccines.As of Thursday, 23.51% of people in South Africa and 19.58% in Botswana have been fully vaccinated, Our World in Data <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations">reported</a>.<div type="image" title="A graph showing the vaccine rates of South Africa and Botswana to many of the world's wealthiest countries." height="1290" width="2000" msid="87932212" hostid="261"></div>This means the nightmare scenario could be arriving in just the way experts have warned about.<h2>Experts warned of this for months</h2>The World Health Organization has repeatedly urged richer countries to share or buy fewer vaccine doses, and to make sure poorer nations have their first doses before distributing booster shots.Those countries haven't listened.The WHO experts said this wider vaccine distribution was needed in part to stop new, dangerous variants from emerging. Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, WHO's chief scientist, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/18/1028941909/why-a-push-for-boosters-could-make-the-pandemic-even-worse">said</a> in August that she was "afraid" that booster campaigns "will only lead to more variants."Other experts have warned of the same scenario for months.Ken Shadlen, a professor of development studies at the London School of Economics and Political <keyword id="11896083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="science" source="Orion">Science</keyword>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rich-nations-hoarding-covid-19-vaccines-could-backfire-experts-say-2021-3?r=US&amp;IR=T">told Insider</a> in March that if global vaccine inequality persisted, "it's going to potentially undermine the health benefits of all that we're doing with lockdowns and vaccines."He said it wasn't inevitable that a vaccine-escaping variant would emerge if the virus kept spreading, but that "it would take a lot of confidence to believe that it's not going to, if it keeps spreading." Dr. Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota who advised Joe Biden on COVID-19 during his presidential transition, expressed the same concerns to Insider in March.He said that efforts to end the pandemic would be difficult if there was a "largely uncontrolled transmission in the low- and middle-income countries," even if the world's richest nations had done widespread vaccinations.Countries such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uk-travel-ban-variant-in-african-countries-b11529-11">the UK</a> and <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/covid-countries-suspend-travel-from-southern-africa-over-new-variant/a-59942074">Germany</a> are restricting travel from a number of African nations in a bid to stop the spread of the new variant.

Rise of a new coronavirus variant in Africa looks like the disaster scenario experts warned of if rich nations hoarded vaccines for themselves

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new <keyword id="11893194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus" source="Orion">coronavirus</keyword> <keyword id="12004893" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="variant" source="Orion">variant</keyword> has been detected in South <keyword id="11894607" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="africa" source="Orion">Africa</keyword>, Botswana, and Hong Kong.</li><li>Experts fear its mutations may help it avoid antibodies produced by vaccines and treatments.</li></ul>Scientists and <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">health</keyword> officials are closely tracking a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-patients-cant-know-which-variant-infected-them-delta-2021-8">coronavirus variant</a> with a "worrying" number of mutations that has been detected in South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong.The variant, called B.1.1.529, has 32 mutations in the part of the virus that attaches to human cells, called the spike protein — the target for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-variant-covid-vaccine-effectiveness-protection-pfizer-moderna-astrazeneca-2021-7?r=US&amp;IR=T">existing vaccines</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/astrazeneca-antibody-drug-azd7442-reduced-severe-covid-19-risk-study-2021-10">antibody treatments</a>. A higher number of mutations in the spike protein may change its shape and means there is a greater risk those vaccines and treatments won't be as effective against it.<a href="https://twitter.com/Newzroom405/status/1463838347051384837">Experts are worried</a> the mutations might make the virus more infectious and help it avoid the antibody response, but this hasn't been proved. It's also not clear whether the mutations make the virus more deadly.<keyword id="11893994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> vaccines remain a "critical tool" to protect against severe illness, <a href="https://twitter.com/Newzroom405/status/1463838347051384837">Tulio de Oliveira, the director at South Africa's Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation</a>, said in a briefing Thursday.Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London who <a href="https://github.com/cov-lineages/pango-designation/issues/343">posted about the variant on GitHub on Tuesday</a>, said the high number of mutations could be of "real concern" and there were combinations of mutations he hadn't seen before in a single variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.Francois Balloux, the director at the University College London Genetics Institute, said <a href="https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/working-with-us/for-journalists/roundups-for-journalists/">in a statement to the Science Media Center on Wednesday</a> that the fact such a large number of mutations appeared to have occurred in a single burst suggested the variant evolved from a chronic infection in an immunocompromised person.B.1.1.529 was first detected November 11 and has been sequenced 82 times — 77 cases in South Africa, four cases in the neighboring Botswana, and one case in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong case was attributed to a person who had traveled to South Africa, according to <a href="https://www.nicd.ac.za/new-covid-19-variant-detected-in-south-africa/">South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases</a> on Thursday.Peacock cautioned that the "export to Asia" might suggest it's already more widespread than the sequences imply.Adrian Puren, the acting executive director at the NICD, <a href="https://www.nicd.ac.za/new-covid-19-variant-detected-in-south-africa/">said in a statement Thursday</a> that NICD experts were "working overtime" to understand the new variant and its implications.Ravi Gupta, a professor of clinical microbiology at Cambridge University, <a href="https://twitter.com/ravgup33_ravi/status/1463626745651806208">said on Twitter on Wednesday</a> that the B.1.1.529 variant was "worrying, and I've not said that since Delta." The highly infectious Delta variant, which is the most common variant worldwide, has 11 to 15 mutations in its spike protein, and some of them help it avoid the immune response, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-info.html">according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>."Please get vaccinated and boosted and mask up in public as the mutations in this virus likely result in high level escape from neutralising antibodies," Gupta said.Dr. Michelle Groome, the head of the division of public-health surveillance and response at the NICD, said individual compliance to preventive measures could have a "great collective impact" in limiting the spread of the new variant. "This means that individuals should get vaccinated, wear masks, practice healthy hand hygiene, maintain social distancing, and gather in well ventilated spaces," she said.The World Health Organization and health officials from South Africa, where most of the cases have been detected, are due to meet to <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FFCVocpWUAc0DMS.png">discuss the variant Friday</a>.

You Searched For "tulio de oliveira" and got 11 results

The new COVID-19 variant grabbing global headlines, this is what we know so far about it

Vaamanaa Sethi

A leading public health expert has pleaded with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett to help fight coronavirus variants in Africa

Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Chart shows how quickly the new coronavirus variant spread in part of South Africa, totally supplanting Delta

Mia Jankowicz

Two new Omicron sub-variants detected in Africa and Europe

IANS

South Africa says it has been 'punished' rather than 'applauded' for detecting the new Omicron variant

Alia Shoaib

Belgium records Europe's first case of the new coronavirus variant spreading in southern Africa

Alexandra Ma

The Omicron variant carries a number of genetic mutations that might cause it to spread quickly, even among vaccinated people: report

Yelena Dzhanova

A woman with HIV had the coronavirus for 216 days. The virus mutated at least 30 times inside her.

Marianne Guenot

UK suspending flights from 6 African countries over new coronavirus variant fears: 'Our scientists are deeply concerned'

Blake Dodge

Rise of a new coronavirus variant in Africa looks like the disaster scenario experts warned of if rich nations hoarded vaccines for themselves

Sinéad Baker

Scientists are closely tracking a coronavirus variant with a 'worrying' number of mutations. They don't yet know if it's more infectious.

Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

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