A new Covid variant in the UK was found to have a "high number" of mutations.

Medical chiefs have warned of a concerning new development in the fight against Covid-19 - the emergence of a new variant with a ‘high number of mutations’ in the United Kingdom.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has identified the BA.2.86 mutation in someone with no recent travel history, which suggests the possibility of significant community transmission within the country.
This strain was first discovered in Denmark on July 24, before being identified in Israel on July 31. An individual in the US was also found to have the variant earlier this month.
It is gnomically distinct from its likely ancestor, the BA.2 variant, nicknamed ‘stealth Omicron’, which is more transmissible than the original Omicron strain originating from southern Africa.

Although there is currently ‘insufficient data’ to assess the new strain’s relative severity or how likely it is to evade the protection offered by vaccines, the UKHSA will continue to monitor its spread.
Professor Francois Balloux of the UCL Genetics Institute at University College London has described it as ‘the most striking SARS-CoV-2 strain the world has witnessed since the emergence of Omicron’, due to the more than 30 mutations it carries.

However, the professor believes it is unlikely to cause a new wave of severe disease and deaths, nor prompt further restrictions on daily life. This is because most people have developed some degree of immunity to the virus, either through vaccination or prior infection.
He also speculates that the strain may have emerged in an immunocompromised person, before being spread further.

The UKHSA’s Deputy Director Dr Meera Chand has said that the designation of the variant has allowed them to track its spread through their usual surveillance processes.

Covid-19 cases have been steadily rising since the beginning of July, with the occurrence of a new variant, Eris, adding to the figures.
Professor Christina Pagel of the Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has warned of a large wave of infection hitting this September as people return to their regular activities indoors and children go back to school.
However, she believes it is unlikely to cause a surge in hospital admissions or deaths, due to the protection offered by vaccines and natural immunities.

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