New contagious coronavirus strain may lead to more deaths in 2021: Experts

The new coronavirus strain is 56 per cent more contagious than the previous strains, claim UK researchers. They fear that it may lead to more hospitalisation and deaths in the year 2021 as compared to the year 2020.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: December 27, 2020 11:37 am

एक्‍सपर्ट्स ने जताई चिंता, बताया आखिर क्‍यों आने वाले समय में और भी खतरनाक हो सकता है कोरोना संक्रमण

The new and more infectious variant of the coronavirus that was detected recently in the United Kingdom (UK) is spreading rapidly in England as well as outside. According to the latest reports, more cases of the mutated coronavirus strain has been reported from India, Spain and Sweden. Meanwhile, a study has claimed that that new COVID-19 strain is 56 per cent more contagious than the previous strains and it can spread at a faster pace. Also Read - Coronavirus variants cannot escape available COVID vaccines: Experts

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who conducted the study, fear that the new coronavirus strain may lead to more COVID-related hospitalisation and deaths in the year 2021 as compared to the year 2020. Also Read - Odisha man dies after taking COVID-19 vaccine, another develops bacterial sepsis

They also said that easing the lockdown rules will prompt a large resurgence of the virus and highlighted the need to accelerate the vaccine roll-out to suppress the burden of the disease. Also Read - COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 10,689,527 while death toll reaches 1,53,587

After the new COVID-19 strain was discovered in southeast England in November, the British government reimposed several restrictions in the country and nearby areas. Many other countries, including India, also reimposed travel restrictions and temporality suspended all the flights from the UK. The India government has also made a 14-day quarantine compulsory for air passengers coming from the UK.

More UK returnees test Covid positive in India

Health officials in Maharashtra said on Saturday that as many as 16 returnees from the United Kingdom (UK) have tested positive for the new variant of coronavirus in RT PCR tests conducted on their arrival in the Indian city.

The State health authorities have so far screened 1,122 passengers arriving from the UK to RT-PCR tests ever since the detection of the new strain there, IANS reported quoting official sources.

Earlier on Friday, 8 UK returnees tested positive at the Delhi airport, taking the total cases to 19. In addition, 16 people who returned to Telangana in the last 2 weeks have been found infected with the infectious strain of the virus.

Sweden’s Public Health Agency also confirmed on Saturday that a person who travelled from London to the country to celebrate Christmas have fallen sick with the new coronavirus variant. Sara Byfors of Sweden’s Public Health Agency said in a news conference that there might be more cases of the new strain in Sweden that have yet to be detected, according to a news agency report.

Spain has also recorded four cases related to the new Covid-19 variant in the Community of Madrid. The regional government’s deputy health chief Antonio Zapatero told a news conference on Saturday that all the four cases involved people who recently arrived from Britain. None of the confirmed cases were serious, Zapatero said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Get to know more about the new coronavirus variant

The new coronavirus variant has 17 mutations that affect the shape of the virus, including the spike protein from which the coronavirus family gets its name. The genetic mutation in the “spike” protein may allow easy and immediate spread of the virus, as well as make it deadlier, according to researchers.

As with the earlier strains, people infected with the new variant of the virus may experience fever, dry cough and loss of smell and taste. But other symptoms more commonly associated with the new variant include fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, headache, muscle pain and mental confusion.

The new strain, named VUI-202012/01 (the first “Variant Under Investigation” in December 2020), is said to be up to 70 percent more infectious than the original strain.

Some researchers, however, argue that the new variant does not appear to cause more severe disease, and the newly available vaccines may protect people against it.

Published : December 27, 2020 11:24 am | Updated:December 27, 2020 11:37 am

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