Corona mutation from South Africa: This is what makes the new variant so dangerous

Now the time has come:  The  mutated variant B.1.351 of Coronavirus out South Africa has been proven in Germany. A family is affected Baden-Wuerttembergwho returned in mid-December after a long stay in South Africa. As the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Social Affairs announced on January 12, the family from the Zollernalb district went to quarantine and was tested on the fifth day.

 The se Corona-Tests but turned out negative, like echo24.de* reported. However, in the following week some family members developed mildly Disease symptoms. In the meantime, the Ministry of Social Affairs reports Baden-Wuerttemberg of six virus detections in three households.

Corona mutation from South Africa also detected in Germany

 The  Sars-CoV-2 positive swab specimen from the person who fell ill first was sent to the National Consiliar Laboratory for Coronaviren sent in Berlin.

 The n there was certainty: It is this Corona-Mutation out South Africa B.1.351.

 The  smears of the contact persons are now being examined, the results are still pending. A case of the corona mutation was announced in Bottrop on Monday.

 The  South African government reported in mid-December about the rapid increase in Infections with the Virus-Variant – also as 501Y.V2 known – informed. This was first proven in August. Also in Great Britain was a Corona-Mutation been registered.

 The  Virus-Variant B.1.1.7 has now been detected in a number of countries, in Baden-Württemberg the first case of the mutation became known on Christmas Eve *.

Both Corona mutations are characterized by changes in the genome. According to the German press agency Changes in the spike protein as a result, through which the virus attaches to body cells in order to invade them.

Corona mutations from South Africa and Great Britain: how dangerous are the virus variants?

 The  Crown-Variant out South Africa doesn’t seem to be for heavier gradients of Covid-19 to worry and not to be deadlier – the same goes for them Mutation out Great Britain, but this is considered to be potentially more contagious.

 The  British Prime Minister even warned that it was up to 70 percent more contagious than the previously known version Sars-CoV-2. Also the Corona-Mutation from South Africa is considered to be potentially more contagious than the variant previously widespread in Germany. Initial reports also suggested that the new Corona variants are more dangerous *, especially for children. But that has not yet been proven.

 The  knowledge “not more deadly” makes them Corona mutations out Great Britain and South Africa but no less bad. Because the faster Transferability poses a great danger. If significantly more people become infected with the virus in a short period of time, of course there are significantly more serious and fatal courses among them. Particularly violent: According to a report by picture made the Variant B.1.351 out South Africa up to 90 percent of new infections last there!

Corona mutation from South Africa: vaccines also effective against virus variants?

 The  good news: the spike protein is also the indirect target of the mRNA vaccines from Biontech / Pfizer and from Moderna. How the vaccines work *:

 The y stimulate cells in the body to produce this protein. It plays a role in the body infection before, so that the immune system is activated and among other things antibody against the protein forms.

 The  antibodies should later bind to the spike protein and mark it as “hostile” for the defense. So far, experts have assumed that the corona vaccines are also effective against the mutations *.

As the daily News had reported Vaccine developer Biontech also explains that you can – if necessary – a new one within six weeks vaccine develop that is effective against the mutated variants out Great Britain and South Africa is. According to Bild.de one could get the approved vaccines because of the mRNA-Technologie adapt quickly.

Andreas Bergthaler from the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences told the dpa, is decisive in terms of Corona mutations currently to reduce the number of cases in order to reduce the risk of the development of further variants. *echo24.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network

Header list image: © Tom Weller / dpa