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Denmark, which has already detected more than 200 B.1.1.7 COVID variants (see Serum Statens Institut (SSI) Update On COVID Variant B.1.1.7) - and projects this highly transmissible variant could become dominant there by as early as mid-February - has announced their first detection of the B.1.351 / 501Y variant which is currently sweeping across South Africa.
The ultimate impact of this mutation is far from certain, but early reports suggest it may result in reduced antibody recognition, which may decrease immune protection acquired from prior infection or vaccination.While both variants are described as highly transmissible, the South African variant - much like the newer Brazilian variant (P.1) - carry an E484K mutation that the B1.1.7 (aka `UK') variant does not.
You'll find an excellent discussion of what we know, and don't know, about these variants in a piece written by Penn State Professor David Kennedy for The Conversation (see What you need to know about the new COVID-19 variants).
While testing for these variants is quite limited around the globe, for now B.1.1.7 appears to be farthest ahead with reports from more than 50 countries, followed by the South Africa's B.1.351 / 501Y with more than a dozen nations detecting it, with Brazil's P.1 pulling up the rear.
For now, the B.1.1.7 variant is the easiest to detect, which may be skewing these numbers somewhat.
How these variants will win, place, and show 3, 6, or 12 months from now is anyone's guess, since we don't know which is the most transmissible, or most biologically fit, and other variants could come into play over time.
Based on what we do know, SARS-COV-2 continues to evolve and adapt to human hosts, and has made several leaps in transmissibility over the past year. While past performance is no guarantee of future results, that should give us pause.
And to accent that point, 4 paragraphs into today's report we learn that Denmark's SSI `. . . has found four covid-19 cases with another virus variant, which only has the E484K mutation'.
Whether this E484K variant can compete with the others already in play is unknown - as most variants are unsuccessful - but it reminds us the virus continues to throw its genetic dice as it infects more and more people (and other hosts).
The first case of a new covid-19 variant has now been found in Denmark
The Statens Serum Institut has found a case of the B.1.351 / 501Y variant that was originally detected in South Africa. The Danish case has been found on Zealand.Last edited January 16, 2021
The first case of another covid-19 variant has been found in Denmark. This is the virus variant B.1.351 / 501Y, which was originally detected in South Africa .
The Danish covid-19 case of B.1.351 / 501Y was found on Zealand and is associated with a trip to Dubai. The variant has both the 501Y mutation, which is associated with greater infectivity, and the 484K mutation, which may lead to a decrease in sensitivity to the protective antibodies in patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection.
At the same time, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) has found four covid-19 cases with another virus variant, which only has the E484K mutation in the Spike protein, which as mentioned before may be associated with reduced sensitivity to the protective antibodies.
Strengthened surveillance
“We have strengthened the monitoring of virus variants so that we can closely follow the development in variant B.1.1.7, which also has the 501Y mutation, but not the 484K mutation. At the same time, this means that we are discovering several other variants that have international attention, such as B.1.351 / 501Y. It has also been shown to be more contagious just like B.1.1.7 ”, says SSI's Acting Technical Director Tyra Grove Krause.
The B.1.1.7 variant currently accounts for 3.6% of all the positive covid-19 samples sequenced in Denmark. However, it is expected that the incidence will increase in the coming weeks and months. How much depends on how well you manage to check the contact number.
Intensive infection detection
The Danish case of B.1.351 / 501Y has been found by SSI's general sequencing monitoring. It takes place in collaboration with Aalborg University and now covers all PCR-detected cases of infection with a response time of now less than a week.
The Danish Agency for Patient Safety (STPS) performs intensive infection detection and containment of the detected cases with variants that require special attention.
Vaccines continue to work
Although some virus variants have reduced susceptibility to antibodies, the WHO estimates that the current vaccines will still be effective as they provide a broader immune response.
SSI also states that the covid-19 vaccines are still expected to work.
"Even though variants have now been found with mutations with expected reduced sensitivity to antibodies, this does not mean that the vaccines will not work, but the new variants are closely monitored," says virologist Anders Fomsgaard from SSI.
