Coronavirus mutations: where they have already appeared in Bavaria - and what that means

It is in the nature of things that viruses change, mutate.

So does the corona virus.

Such mutations have already occurred in Bavaria - an overview.

• Several mutations of the

  coronavirus

  are currently in circulation, but special attention is paid to three variants and especially to the so-called British one.

• This is a little more contagious than other

  coronavirus mutations

  .

• The

  British mutation

  was

  detected

  in

  Bavaria

  in some cases - as an overview shows.

The

coronavirus has been

spreading

in Germany and around the world

since January 2020

.

First rampant called wild virus of

SARS-CoV-2,

since about September 2020 stuck now seem more and more people with different

mutations

of the

coronavirus

in the world and also in Germany.

Science is particularly focused on three variants: The

mutations

that are

currently rampant

in

South Africa

,

Brazil

and

Great Britain

and are causing high numbers of infections.

They have recently also

been detected

in

Bavaria

.

Coronavirus mutations: They have already been detected here in Bavaria

• British mutation Munich B1.1.7:

• Bamberg

• Bayreuth

• Dachau

• Dingolfing district

• Erding

• Kitzingen district

• Landsberg am Lech district

• Munich

• Passau

• South African mutation B.1.351:

• Rosenheim

• Brazilian mutation B.1.1.248:

• How far this variant has spread is not yet known

• A mutation has occurred in Garmisch-Partenkirchen that can be assigned to the so-called point mutations (see below).

  This was also proven in Bamberg.

The

British mutation

, B1.1.7, is currently causing high numbers of

infections

in

Great Britain

.

Scientists believe it is more contagious than the original

coronavirus

.

Initially, the risk of infection was expected to be up to 70 percent higher, but now this assumption is more like 22 to 35 percent, according to Charité chief virologist Christian Drosten.

Nevertheless: If more people become infected with the

British

variant, there will again be more severe courses and deaths, according to the assumption.

Whether B1.1.7 is more dangerous in the sense of more lethal is still open.

So far there is a lack of scientific evidence.

Mutations in Bavaria: A variant also appeared in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

It is perfectly normal for viruses to mutate.

The

SARS-CoV-2

coronavirus

does this much more slowly than, for example, the HI virus or certain flu viruses.

By September 2020 there were around 12,000 individual

mutations

, so-called point mutations.

In all likelihood, this category also includes the

mutation

that occurred in mid-January at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Clinic.

The

British mutation,

on the other hand, is noticeable because the virus has changed in 21 places.

This makes it easier to attach to human cells, so it's easier to get infected.

The variants that

occurred

in

South Africa

and

Brazil

also show a similar mutation behavior

.

Coronavirus tests in Bavaria are rarely checked for mutations

How widespread the

coronavirus mutations are

in Germany and

Bavaria

is difficult to estimate.

Great Britain

sequenced the coronavirus tests early and frequently, i.e. examined them for possible mutations.

In Germany, this has only been mandatory since January 2021 and apparently only to a limited extent for cost reasons.

It is therefore possible that the

variants

have long since spread in this country.

So far, the vaccine manufacturers and the Robert Koch Institute have assumed that the

newly

developed

vaccines

against the

coronavirus will

also work against the

mutations

.

Sources: quarks.de and wdr.de