April 22, 2020
Coronavirus mutates into at least 30 different strains – sabotaging hunt for cure
Scientists from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, published the chilling findings in a paper released on Sunday after analysing strains from 11 different patients
by Tom Towers
DailyStar.co.uk
The coronavirus has mutated into at least 30 different strains – potentially harming researchers’ efforts to find a cure.
Scientists from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, published the chilling findings in a paper released on Sunday.
They analysed the strains from 11 patients and tested how quickly they could infect and kill cells.
More than 30 different mutations of the virus were detected, including 19 that were previously unheard of.
The team discovered that some of the more aggressive strains generated 270 times the viral load – the quantity of the virus in a given volume of body fluid – compared to the weaker versions.
They also killed human cells faster.
Scientists from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, published the chilling findings earlier this month
The authors, led by professor Li Lanjuan, warned: "Drug and vaccine development, while urgent, need to take the impact of these accumulating mutations, especially the founding mutations, into account to avoid potential pitfalls.”
Li, who first recommended locking down Wuhan, added: “Sars-CoV-2 has acquired mutations capable of substantially changing its pathogenicity.”
The virus strain found to be most deadly is the same as the one found in patients across Europe, the paper claims.
A milder strain matches those found in less affected areas of the USA, such as Washington State.
More than 30 different mutations of the virus were detected, including 19 that were previously unheard of
It is believed the strain most prevalent in New York – one of the worst affected regions in the USA – is the same as the deadline one found in Europe.
The UK’s coronavirus death toll today rose by 763, a fall from the 828 fatalities reported yesterday.
NHS England has this afternoon confirmed that, in the last 24 hours, a further 665 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in English hospitals.
That takes England's nationwide death toll to 16,272.
The team discovered that some of the more aggressive strains generated 270 times the viral load than the viral ones
Earlier today, a further 77 deaths were reported in Scotland, taking the death toll there to 1,062.
The number of positive confirmed cases of Covid-19 there has risen to 9038, up 366.
Wales recorded 15 more deaths.
While Northern Ireland has recorded six more deaths.
That means that the UK's death toll currently stands at 18,100.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/coronavirus-mutates-least-30-different-21909823
| 
