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WHO monitoring new coronavirus variant named 'Mu'

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="WHO monitoring new coronavirus variant named " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/overseas/08/31/covid.jpg"/></figure></div><p>GENEVA - The World Health Organization has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as &quot;Mu&quot;, which was first identified in Colombia in January.</p><p>Mu, known scientifically as B.1.621, has been classified as a &quot;variant of interest&quot;, the global health body said Tuesday in its weekly pandemic bulletin.</p><p>The WHO said the variant has mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines and stressed that further studies were needed to better understand it.</p><p>&quot;The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape,&quot; the bulletin said.</p><p>There is widespread concern over the emergence of new virus mutations as infection rates are ticking up globally again, with the highly transmissible Delta variant taking hold -- especially among the unvaccinated -- and in regions where anti-virus measures have been relaxed.</p><p>All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19, mutate over time and most mutations have little or no effect on the properties of the virus.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1761374" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p><br/>But certain mutations can impact the properties of a virus and influence how easily it spreads, the severity of the disease it causes, and its resistance to vaccines, drugs and other countermeasures.</p><p>The WHO currently identifies four Covid-19 variants of concern, including Alpha, which is present in 193 countries, and Delta, present in 170 countries.</p><p>Five variants, including Mu, are to be monitored.</p><p>After being detected in Colombia, Mu has since been reported in other South American countries and in Europe.</p><p>The WHO said its global prevalence has declined to below 0.1 percent among sequenced cases. In Colombia, however, it is at 39 percent.</p><div><strong>apo/roc/jfx/qan</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

The World Health Organization has said it is monitoring a new coronavirus variant known as Mu, which was first identified in Colombia in January.