Covid 19: UK Records First Case of New Variant

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has verified the presence of COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 within the nation. This announcement was shared on the agency’s website on Friday,18th of August,2023.

According to the agency, the affected individual has not engaged in recent travel, implying that there might be some level of community transmission of the variant within the UK.

Both the World Health Organization and US health authorities revealed their vigilance towards a new Covid-19 variant on Thursday, 17th of August, 2023, although the implications of BA.2.86 remain uncertain for now.

Given its extensive mutation count, the World Health Organization has labeled the COVID-19 variant BA.2.86 as a ‘variant under monitoring’.

Currently, only a limited number of instances of this variant have been reported across a handful of countries.

The BA.2.86 variant has also been identified in Israel, Denmark, and the United States of America.
For the purpose of monitoring by the UKHSA, it has been assigned the designation V-23AUG-01.

This recently detected Covid 19 variant boasts a significant number of mutations and stands genetically distinct from its probable predecessor, BA.2, as well as from the presently circulating XBB-derived variants.

Insufficient data is available at this time to assess the variant’s comparative severity or its potential to evade immune responses when measured against other variants currently in circulation.

The Deputy Director, UKHSA, Dr Meera Chand, said, “V-23AUG-01 was designated as a variant on the basis of international transmission and significant mutation of the viral genome. This designation allows us to monitor it through our routine surveillance processes.

“We are aware of one confirmed case in the UK. UKHSA is currently undertaking detailed assessment and will provide further information in due course.”

Research has shown that viruses, including COVID-19’s SARS-CoV-2, undergo changes with time. The majority of these alterations have minimal impact on the virus’s characteristics.

Nevertheless, specific changes might influence aspects like the virus’s transmissibility, disease severity, vaccine effectiveness, and public health measures, as mentioned in the report.