A new Lambda variant of the coronavirus has surfaced. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the strain as a variant of interest on June 14. The first case of the new variant, previously known as C.37 was reported in Peru, in December 2020. Here’s what you need to know about the new mutant.
The first cases of Lambda variant
The lambda variant of COVID-19 was first detected last year, in December in Peru. However, WHO declared it as a variant of interest (VOI) on June 14, 2021. This is because the variant surfaced in about 1 person in every 200 COVID-19 patients. However, the number rose up to 80 percent in recent days.
In addition to this, Peru also has the highest mortality rate in the world. Unfortunately, there is not enough proof to claim that the Lambda variant is behind the increase in deaths.
Is the COVID-19 vaccine efficient against the new VOI?
According to a study conducted in Chile, mutations in the spike protein of lambda variant increased infection. It also managed to escape the antibodies offered by CoronaVac, the Sinovac vaccine. However, the study was limited to just one covid vaccine. But, this will allow the “identification of new isolates carrying spike mutations and immunology studies aimed to determine the impact of these mutations in immune escape and vaccine breakthrough,” stated the study.
There is more research going on to see whether or not the existing vaccines can provide immunity against the new variant. Alternatively, according to researchers from Public Health England, the new strain may spread quickly and be resistant to antibodies. But, there is no solid evidence that the variant causes more severe symptoms or has reduced the effectiveness of existing vaccines.
According to the reports from GISAID, the global science initiative on sharing influenza-related data, 31 countries have reported this mutant strain. It includes the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Italy, France, Switzerland, and Germany. So far, there are no cases of the new variant in India.