According to a new study, the UK identified a new variant of the COVID virus which is spreading rapidly. The UK COVID variant known as B117 is said to be more contagious than COVID-19 and it’s doubling every 10 days. B117 tends to infect many from one person.
B117
The new strain B117 is slightly different from COVID-19. This UK COVID variant is 35-45% more transmissible than other strains of the virus which is currently in the US. The B117 has the power to latch on human cells and invade them. The Centres for disease control and prevention (CDC) predicted about B117 months back, but now unfortunately the prediction is coming true. B117 was first identified in Britain and it has the tendency to infect more than 70%. Dr. Narthan D. Grubaugh, assistant professor, and public health researcher says “It might just be that when you’re infected, you’re exhaling more infectious virus”. The new variant is more likely to infect children than elders and it has been identified in 34 states in the US, in which Florida and Canada have higher case counts which might increase in coming months. To understand the nature of the virus scientists collected half a million positive samples and examined them. From this research they found out B117 has arrived early in the month of November and it might have spread to at least 30 states by January.
Symptoms of B117
- High temperature
- Loss of taste and smell
- Continuous cough
Apart from B117, there are also other variants of COVID- 19 such has
- British variant or B117
- South Africa variant or B.1.351
- Brazil variant or P.1
- California variant or CAL.20C
The good news is that scientists say that B117 is not more dangerous than the other variants of COVID-19. B117 is said to spread more than 70% more than other variants. UK strain or British variant may cause more disease than the previous strains.
Facts about UK COVID Variant
Scientists are working on new variants and it needs more time, studies, and research to understand.
- How widely it has spread
- Whether these variants can affect the existing therapies or vaccines.
- How the disease caused by the new variant differs from the disease caused by the other variant.
How to Protect Yourself
- Wear mask
- Avoid enclosed breathing space
- Avoid crowds and maintain distance
- Wash your hands often and avoid touching your face
- Use sanitizer with 60% alcohol
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is monitoring the situation and the spread of variants closely and it is also collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
