Paris: Scientists have discovered another variant of Covid-19 known as IHU or the B.1.640.2 variant, and they believe it is growing rapidly.
According to research, a team of scientists at France’s IHU Mediterranee Infection identified the B.1.640.2 variant (commonly known as IHU), and this variant is a more mutated strain of the Omicron variant.
The IHU variant, as stated in the study, contains as many as 46 mutations, which is more than that of the Omicron variant. This makes it more resistant to vaccines and thus, more infectious. Though the Omicron scare still remains dominant across the globe, the threat posed by the latest B.1.640.2 variant or IHU, is increasing rapidly.
The study states that the IHU variant contains up to 46 mutations, which is more than the Omicron variant. As a result, it becomes more resistant to vaccines and, hence, more infectious. Though the Omicron scare is still prevalent around the world, the threat posed by the latest B.1.640.2 variant, or IHU, is growing rapidly.
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According to a study published on medrxiv.org, the genotype pattern of the IHU variant states, “Fourteen amino acid substitutions, including N501Y and E484K, and 9 deletions are located in the spike protein. This genotype pattern led to create a new Pangolin lineage named B.1.640.2, which is a phylogenetic sister group to the old B.1.640 lineage renamed B.1.640.1. Both lineages differ by 25 nucleotide substitutions and 33 deletions. The mutation set and phylogenetic position of the genomes obtained here indicate based on our previous definition a new variant we named IHU.”
Latest media reports have stated that the scientists have linked the IHU variant to travel with Cameroon. Though it was first detected December 10 last year, the WHO has not yet labelled it as a variant under investigation. So far, as many as 12 cases of the IHU variant have been reported near Marseilles city, in France.
PNN