(by Manuela Correra)
A new variant of the SarsCov2 virus has been reported in Japan: called E484K, the mutation alarms the Japanese authorities because, as anticipated by the public broadcaster Nkh, it would be capable of reducing the effectiveness of the anti-Covid vaccines currently available.
The variant is added to the others already in circulation and increases the concern of the experts, who warn that we are facing a race against time and that the only real weapon to stop the virus, and its inevitable mutations, is today represented exclusively by vaccination campaigns which must therefore accelerate as much as possible.
The E484K mutation was detected in 10 of 14 patients examined in a Tokyo hospital in March.
For about two months and until March, Japanese sources report, 12 out of 36 Covid patients would have been infected with the mutation despite never having traveled and associated with other people who then tested positive.
The news comes during a second spike in infections that particularly affected the city of Osaka and two other prefectures of the archipelago, Hyogo and Miyagi.
The E484K variant - which would have characteristics similar to both the English and South African variants - has also been reported in Tyrol, Austria and is also spreading in the United States.
At the moment, however, experts point out, there is a lack of specific studies regarding this mutation and therefore caution is a must.
"Waiting for certain scientific data on the E484K variant and its possible resistance to vaccines - says Massimo Andreoni, scientific director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit) and associate professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Rome Tor Vergata - c 'there is in general great concern with respect to mutations in the SarsCov2 virus and the need for strong monitoring.'
For his part, the virologist Roberto Burioni, of the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan, calls for caution and, in a tweet, writes: "Vaccines and variants. No to 'varianterrorism'. Vaccines work".
The one against variants in any case, explains Andreoni, "is now a race against time: the more the virus circulates, the more it tends to change and give rise to new variants. The only strategy is therefore to block the circulation of the virus and to do this the real weapon we have is vaccination. Therefore, it is essential at this moment to speed up the vaccination campaign as much as possible, to immunize as many people as possible quickly, block the virus and thus prevent its origins other mutations ".
At the same time, he stresses, "it becomes crucial to increase the tracking capacity of variants by enhancing the sequencing of the virus, in order to understand what is actually happening in Italy and what are the strains that are circulating".
An activity, which "we are carrying out at the University of Tor Vergata, as is being done in other centers, but which must be further strengthened".
If the resistance of E484K to vaccines were confirmed, Andreoni concludes, "I think it would be worth considering a blocking of air flights to prevent the further spread of this and other variants, and stringent protocols should be adopted if E484K has already arrived. in Europe".
Virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco of the State University of Milan also agrees with this hypothesis: "We need strict monitoring - he comments - and a more generalized suspension of air flights should be evaluated if the further expansion of the new variants is confirmed".
Currently in Italy, according to data from the Higher Institute of Health, the so-called English variant has become dominant with a prevalence of 86.7%, (with values ranging between the regions between 63.3% and 100%).
For the 'Brazilian', the prevalence is 4.0% (0% -32.0%), while the other variants monitored are below 0.5%.