Germany has recorded the country's first case of human infection with a variant of coronavirus combining genetic modifications of both previous strains known as "British" and "South African" mutations.
This was reported by Spiegel.
The new strain was discovered during the inspection at the Berlin airport. The passenger who arrived in Berlin from Saxony was infected with the new strain.
The mutant strain, which is indicated by the abbreviation B.1.525, has previously been observed in several countries, in particular Denmark, Italy, Nigeria, Norway, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
As the experts have explained, all viruses are subject to mutations, B.1.525 however, combines decisive gene changes that affect the so-called adhesive protein, with which the pathogen penetrates the body's cells.
There is not enough preliminary data to draw conclusions about how dangerous and contagious the new strain is. However, doctors suggest that the vaccines against Covid-19 may be less effective against this mutation of the virus. In addition, people who have been already infected with the virus may become infected later again.
As was earlier reported by Apostrophe, the coronavirus variant discovered last year in the Republic of South Africa has special characteristics that allow it to penetrate the human body more effectively, it is more contagious, but reacts weakly to the attempts of the immune system to destroy it.