‘Delta plus’ variant contains additional mutation in spike protein —expert

The “Delta plus” variant recently discovered in India contains an additional mutation in the spike protein, which the coronavirus uses to invade cells, the executive director of the University of the Philippines’ National Institutes of Health said Wednesday.

Dr. Eva Maria Cutiongco-de la Paz said that aside from the L452R, P681R, and T478K mutations present in the original Delta variant, the Delta plus also possesses the K417N mutation on its spike protein.

De la Paz said the K417N mutation “can affect the phenotypic characteristic [or] how the virus will behave, how it will latch on to enter cells.”

The three other mutations are linked to the increased ability of the coronavirus to enter human cells and spread, as well as escape from weak neutralizing antibodies.

India earlier reported nearly two dozen Delta plus variant cases and classified it as a variant of concern.

“Ang sabi rin ng kanilang Ministry of Health ay kailangan pa nila itong araling mas mabuti (Their Ministry of Health also said this needs to be studied more thoroughly),” De la Paz said in a health department forum.

Delta variant

The Philippines has so far detected 17 cases of the original Delta variant, all of whom are returning overseas Filipinos.

Citing experts from the World Health Organization, De la Paz said the Delta variant “is the fastest and fittest coronavirus strain yet and it will affect most vulnerable people, especially in places with low COVID-19 vaccination rates.”

The more transmissible variant has been detected in 85 countries and already accounts for more than 91% of COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom.

De la Paz also said the Delta variant manifests different symptoms compared to the original coronavirus that came out of Wuhan, China.

“More younger people are infected and they are more likely not to self-isolate, mistaking symptoms for a bad cold,” she said, adding that more people are likely to be hospitalized with the Delta variant.

De la Paz and Dr. Alethea de Guzman, chief epidemiologist of the Department of Health, urged stricter border control to block the entry of both Delta and Delta plus variants.

“We look at border control as also an opportunity for us to buy time… Habang ‘yan ay pinaiigting natin, kailangan locally, pinalalakas din natin ang sarili nating local response,” De Guzman said.

(We look at border control as also an opportunity for us to buy time… While we are strengthening that, we also need to enhance our local response.)

De la Paz added that the Philippines will be able to subject more samples to genome sequencing once reagents arrive.

The Philippines’ temporary ban on travelers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, and Oman has been extended to the end of June.—AOL, GMA News