A previously unknown coronavirus mutation is currently causing worried employees at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Clinic.
Virologist Christian Drosten gives an assessment.
Coronavirus mutant 501.V2, which was first described in South Africa, and coronavirus B.1.1.7, which was detected for the first time in Great Britain, are currently spreading worldwide.
But there are countless other coronavirus mutations.
Most known variants are harmless *, as an Anglo-French research team found out.
In the Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, there was currently a corona outbreak in which over 30 people were infected with a previously unknown virus variant.
Read here how dangerous this is currently classified.
73 patients and employees were infected with the corona virus at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Clinic.
In itself nothing unusual in the current situation, as virologist Oliver Keppler from Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) is quoted.
In clinics with full corona wards, for example, if masks are not worn consistently, the virus could spread faster than would be the case in non-medical industries.
But in the case of the Garmisch Clinic, a peculiarity occurred:
In 73 employees and patients who tested positive for Corona, a previously unknown virus mutation was detected in the laboratory in 35 cases
.
It is still unclear where this virus variant comes from.
Samples are currently being examined at the Charité in Berlin.
According to the BR, a final analysis should be available by Friday.
Also read
: Does corona vaccination work against British virus mutation?
Study is optimistic - also with regard to the Africa virus.
New virus mutation in Garmisch more dangerous than original pathogen?
Meanwhile, Corona experts give an assessment of the newly discovered change in the virus gene.
According to the Deputy Medical Director at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Clinic, Clemens Stockklausner, this is definitely not the British or South African variant: “At the moment we have discovered a small point mutation, which has already been described several times around the world and in Germany, and it it is absolutely not clear whether this will result in clinical relevance, ”said Stockklausner.
One cannot say whether this virus variant is more contagious or aggressive than the previously known corona virus
, he is quoted by the BR.
There is no reason to panic.
It could even be that the newly discovered virus variant turns out to be more harmless than the previously known virus.
Virologist Christian Drosten is optimistic.
On January 18, he tweeted: “Just for clarification: We have no evidence of a particular mutation.
UK mutant not found, now sequencing for completeness.
I don't expect any surprises at the moment
.
@ZDFheute has summarized the information status well:
no
need
to worry
”.
Just to clarify: We have no indication of a particular mutation.
UK mutant not found, now sequencing for completeness.
I don't expect any surprises at the moment.
@ZDFheute has summarized the information status well: no need to worry.
https://t.co/IrGoYg2WRm
- Christian Drosten (@c_drosten) January 18, 2021
Virologist Keppler is also unconcerned.
In the BR interview he emphasized: "It just has to be clear to us that
virus mutations are very common per se in the new coronavirus,
" said Keppler.
(jg) * Merkur.de belongs to the Germany-wide Ippen-Digital editorial network
.
Read more
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