WHO says newly discovered Covid variant does not seem to be spreading

A new coronavirus variant that was first detected in South Africa in May does not appear to be spreading, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday, adding it was monitoring the variant as the virus evolves.

“It does not appear to be increasing in circulation,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris told a U.N. briefing, adding the variant labelled C.1.2. was not currently classified as a “variant of concern” by the U.N. health agency.

South African scientists on Sunday said that they have detected a new coronavirus variant with multiple mutations.

The new strain, known as C.1.2, was first detected in May and has now spread to most South African provinces and to seven other countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania, according to research which is yet to be peer-reviewed.

It contains many mutations associated in other strains with increased transmissibility and reduced sensitivity to neutralising antibodies, but they occur in a different mix and scientists are not yet sure how they affect the behaviour of the virus. Laboratory tests are underway to establish how well the strain is neutralised by antibodies.

South Africa was the first country to detect the Beta variant, one of only four labelled “of concern” by the WHO.