Prognosis
South African Scientists Say New Variant May Have ‘Increased Transmissibility’
- C.1.2. variant identified in May, spread to seven countries
- Mutation types associated with increased transmissibility
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South African scientists said they identified a new coronavirus variant that has a concerning number of mutations.
The so-called C.1.2. variant was first identified in May in the South African provinces of Mpumalanga and Gauteng, where Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria, are situated, the scientists said in a research paper. By August 13, it had been found in six of South Africa’s nine provinces as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mauritius, Portugal, New Zealand and Switzerland.