Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Descubren nueva cepa de virus mutado posiblemente más contagioso

New strain of mutated virus discovered is possibly more contagious

Southeast Asia is facing a strain of the new coronavirus that the Philippines – a country with the largest outbreak in the region – is studying to see, if the mutation makes it more infectious.

The strain, previously seen in other parts of the world and called D614G, was discovered in an outbreak of 45 cases in Malaysia that began with someone who returned from India and violated their 14-day home quarantine. The Philippines detected the strain among random samples of covid-19 in the largest city in its capital region.

The mutation could have a greater possibility of transmission, but we still don't have enough solid evidence to say that will happen, Philippine Undersecretary of Health María Rosario Vergeire said at a virtual press conference on Monday.

The mutation has been found in many other countries and has become the predominant variant in Europe and the United States, although the World Health Organization says there is no evidence that the strain leads to more serious disease. The mutation has also been detected in recent outbreaks in China.

There is no epidemiological evidence that the mutation is considerably more infectious than other strains, said Benjamin Cowling, chief of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Hong Kong.

It is more commonly identified now than in the past, suggesting that it might have some kind of competitive advantage over other covid-19 strains, he noted.

Southeast Asian countries are taking a number of steps to prevent a resurgence while resuming a limited number of trips, and they must deal with people violating quarantine rules after returning from abroad and with false negative test results at borders.

The man who returned from India had tested negative when he arrived in Malaysia. He was later sentenced to five months in prison and fined for violating the quarantine.

Citizen cooperation

People should be cautious and take more precautions for this strain that has now been found in Malaysia, wrote the country's Health Director-General, Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a Facebook post, saying - without citing studies - that the strain can make it 10 times more infectious. The cooperation of people is very necessary so that together we can break the chain of infection of the mutation.

The strain could be a little more contagious. We still don't have enough evidence to assess that, but there is no evidence that it is much more contagious, said Cowling of the University of Hong Kong.

Noor Hisham cautioned that the strain could indicate the possibility that existing vaccine studies are incomplete or ineffective against the mutation, despite a report published in Cell Press that the mutation is unlikely to have a major impact on efficacy of the vaccines that are currently being developed.

While Malaysia has largely managed to avoid a resurgence of the virus that has affected other parts of the world, the number of new cases found in the country has been increasing. The country reported 26 new cases on Saturday, the highest number since July 28.

Confirmed cases in the Philippines have risen 76% since the end of July to a total of 164,474 as of Monday. The country surpassed Indonesia more than a week ago as the nation with the largest outbreak in Southeast Asia.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×