Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN scientists are investigating the presence of the C.1.2 Covid-19 variant that was recently detected in South Africa and is believed to be more transmissible than other variants that have been of concern.
According to the neighbouring country’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases, the new variant mutates faster than the original variant from Wuhan, China.
It is said so far, the variant has also been detected in Zambia, Mauritius and the United Kingdom (UK).
In Zimbabwe, the Delta variant is the most prevalent accounting for 98 percent of all the Covid-19 cases.
So far, the World Health Organisation has classified four Covid-19 variants of concern: Alpha, which is present in 193 countries and Deltah which is present in 170 countries. The other two are Beta and Gamma.
Variants of concern are classified as those where there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease, increased hospitalisations or deaths and reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines.
The C.1.2 caught South African scientists’ attention because its mutation rate is almost twice as fast as observed in other global variants. It is believed to be between 44 and 59 mutations away from the original virus detected in Wuhan, making it more mutated than any other WHO-identified Variant of Concern of Variant of Interest.
It also contains many mutations which have been associated with increased transmissibility and a heightened ability to evade antibodies.
Zimbabwe’s Covid-19 chief coordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said genomic sequencing in Zimbabwe’s laboratory to ascertain the prevalence of the new variant detected in South Africa is underway.
She added that prevention methods are still in place, urging members of the public to be on their guard as the country is still not yet out of the woods.
“It is common that viruses tend to mutate hence there is nothing new really although we continue strengthening our prevention programme as we have always done. We continue encouraging everyone to be vigilant and our scientists are doing genomic sequencing in our labs to ascertain the prevalence of this new variant detected in South Africa,” said Dr Mahomva.
“Prevention measures are still the same they will never change for any variant and we should continue practicing the public health measures whose adherence had resulted in us recording less new cases and deaths over the past weeks.”
Dr Mahomva also said people should not be complacent thinking that winter is over as cases can still surge even under high temperatures. – @thamamoe
Online Reporter