#15,844
On the heels of this morning's first post, detailing the increased transmissibility and re-infectivity of the P.1 variant in Amazonas (see Imperial College London: Preprint - Genomics and Epidemiology of a Novel SARS-CoV-2 Lineage in Manaus, Brazil), Denmark's SSI has announced their first confirmed case of this emerging variant.
The first case of the variant P1 has now been found in Denmark
The Technical University of Denmark, DTU, has found a case of the P1 variant, which was originally detected in Brazil.
Last edited March 3, 2021
The virus variant is also called VOC 202101/02 (Variant Of Concern, year 2021, month 01, variant 02). It has also been named 501Y.V3 after one of the key mutations. The Danish case has been found on Zealand.
Mutations N501Y, K417T and E484K in particular are biologically important. As this variant has the mutation N501Y, which variants B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 also have, there is a strong suspicion that this variant has increased infectivity, but this has not been conclusively proven. This variant also has the mutation E484K, which studies have associated with decreased sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. It is not known whether this variant causes more serious disease courses.
The variant was found by sequencing positive PCR samples performed by DTU's Center for Diagnostics and the sample has just been completely sequenced, and thus confirmed.
The vaccines that are approved in the EU incl. Denmark, is also expected to work against the new variant. Impaired effects may occur, but the vaccines are still expected to protect against serious illness.
COV-Lineages.org already lists 25 countries (Brazil , Italy , Peru , Belgium , Switzerland , United States of America , Colombia , France , Japan , Netherlands , French Guiana , United Kingdom , Portugal , Turkey , Ireland , Spain, South Korea, Mexico , Faroe Islands ) reporting the P.1 variant, although it is like far better distributed than we know.
Three days ago, in UK PHE: Statement On 6 Cases Of COVID Variant P.1 In the UK, we looked at the intensive search for an unidentified community case who tested positive.
Last night's update to the CDC COVID Variant tracking map shows 10 cases, across 5 states (Florida, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Maryland & Wisconsin), having reported finding the variant. Given the low level of testing, it wouldn't be a surprise to find P.1 has made it to more states.
