It was in December that the United Kingdom informed the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding a mutant variant of coronavirus that spreads drastically than the original virus that was originated in Wuhan, China.
Health authorities in the UK also warned that this super-variant known as B.1.1.7 has a 70 percent high contraction capability than the Wuhan variant. And now, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned that this mutated variant is deadly too.
Evidence suggests mutated variant is deadly
Boris Johnson revealed that there is "some evidence" which suggests the deadly nature of the mutated coronavirus variant.
"We've been informed today that in addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears that there is some evidence that the new variant — the variant that was first discovered in London and the southeast (of England) — may be associated with a higher degree of mortality," said Johnson during a press conference.
U.K.'s chief scientific advisor, Patrick Vallance also warned that there's an increased risk for those who have the new variant when compared to the original coronavirus variant.
The evidence that hints at the deadly nature of the coronavirus variant is still at a preliminary stage. Further studies to determine the killing capability of the new super-variant will be analyzed by the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group.
Vaccines effective against both coronavirus variants
During the press conference, Boris Johnson revealed that the vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford University are effective against both the old and new variants of coronavirus.
According to the latest updates, the new super-variant is now present in more than 40 countries. Health experts believe that the entire planet will face fresh trouble if this mutated virus becomes the dominant strain.
The latest statistics reveal that there are more than three million COVID-19 positive cases in the United Kingdom, and the death toll has crossed 95,000.
