Facts about the new coronavirus B117 strain or UK COVID-19 variant
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Here's what you need to know about the new coronavirus strain that's spreading in around 50 territories
Scientists and infectious disease experts are still analyzing how the new strain of coronavirus is affecting humans. The new variant of the coronavirus known as the COVID-19 B117 strain, was first detected in September 2020 in the United Kingdom (UK). It is likewise called the UK COVID-19 variant.
The said variant is estimated to be "50% more contagious than the strain that originated in Wuhan, China, [one] year ago." But so far, it is not proven to cause more severe illness or symptoms.
The Department of Health (DOH) said in a statement on January 13, the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) reported the detection of the new coronavirus variant, known as B117, in the country. This was concluded after samples from a 29-year-old Filipino male who arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 7 gave positive genome sequencing results.
This makes him the first confirmed UK COVID-19 variant case in the Philippines. The DOH assured the public that immediate isolation was conducted for both the male patient and his partner who tested negative, and contract tracing is now underway.
Many are starting to become more curious about how this new strain is affecting people. Is it more deadly? How is it different from the original COVID-19 strain? Here's what we know so far with the new UK COVID-19 variant.
Origin
The new COVID-19 variant known as B117 was first detected in the United Kingdom in September 2020. In November, around a quarter of the reported COVID-19 cases in the country were found to be carrying the new variant.
A mutation
Health experts have said that viruses naturally mutate. Scientists earlier said they observed minor mutations in the coronavirus that have not impacted its ability to spread or cause disease in any significant way. Dr Celia Carlos of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) said that viruses, just like humans, undergo changes in their structure.
"They multiply. Nagmu-multiply po ang living organisms at may changes po na nangyayari in a normal rate. At a normal rate, may changes which scientists call mutation. The changes or mutations can occur through alterations in its structure," Carlos explained in a virtual press briefing on December 27.
Carlos said that unlike other viruses, COVID-19 mutates at a "much faster rate and bigger magnitude."
The B117 strain has many changes, up to 17 mutations. Carlos said, "Unfortunately, this strain that was detected in the UK has many changes. They counted 17. It is really much more than the normal rate which is two substitutions per genome per month. But the mutations of this strain occur at a much faster pace and a bigger magnitude."
More transmissible
British researchers and public officials have said that the B117 variant is more transmissible than other versions of the coronavirus, with estimates ranging from 50% to 70% more infectious than the old variant.
NOT deadlier
The new variant is not yet proven to be deadlier. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a video posted on the Department of Health's (DOH) website that while the new variant is more contagious, there is no evidence yet that proves it is more fatal or deadly.
"Mas nakakahawa talaga ngunit wala pang indikasyon na ang virus na ito ay nagdudulot ng mas malubhang karamdaman," he said.
Younger age group?
A study by the Imperial College of London (which is yet to be peer reviewed) revealed that the new variant is prevalent among the 10 to 19 years old age group. More coronavirus cases in this age group carry the new variant.
Vaccines work against new variant
Some of the COVID-19 vaccines rolling out to the public are said to be effective against the new COVID-19 strain. The chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of German pharmaceutical company BioNTech Dr. Ugur Sahin had said he remains confident the company's COVID vaccine, developed in partnership with Pfizer, will be effective against the highly-infectious variants of the virus discovered in the UK and South Africa.
“We are confident that based on the mechanism of our vaccine, even though there are mutations, we believe that the immune response which is induced by our vaccine could also deal with (a) mutated virus,” he told CNBC.
On the other hand, the AstraZeneca vaccine developed by Oxford University in the UK is also suggested to be effective against the new strain. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot also told the Sunday Times of London, “So far, we think the vaccine should remain effective. But we can't be sure, so we're going to test that.”
Cases might increase in PH with new variant
DOH predicts if the UK variant becomes the dominant strain in the Philippines, the country's COVID-19 caseload may increase by 15 fold, a local disease expert earlier warned.
50 territories
The coronavirus mutation first found in Britain has now spread to 50 territories, according to the World Health Organization, while a similar new COVID-19 strain first detected in South African has now been found in 20 territories.
Health officials still advised the public to follow the same safety protocols put in place since the pandemic started, such as hand washing with a bar soap and water, wearing a face mask, and practicing social distancing.
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