Known for its higher infectivity, the VOC 202012/01 coronavirus strain, originally detected in the UK, was detected in five more countries in a week, and their total number reached 111. The geography of distribution of the 501Y.V2 strain found in South Africa has expanded to 58 countries , and the P.1 strain, whose presence was originally detected in Brazil and Japan, is now circulating in 32 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Wednesday night in Geneva, TASS reports.
Her weekly epidemiological bulletin notes that VOC 202012/01 “has been identified as of March 9 in five additional countries, and a total of 111 countries in all six WHO regions have reported cases [of disease] caused by this variety [ coronavirus] “. According to research, its ability to infect humans is 36-75% higher than that of the originally known SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strain. Experts point to “a possible increased risk of hospitalization”, as well as more severe illness and death.