It is wreaking havoc in Peru with highest mortality rate in world
Move over Delta variant! A new Covid-19 strain, Lambada variant, much more dangerous than the Delta variant, has spread in more than 30 countries in the past four weeks, according to reports. It is currently wreaking havoc in Peru from where it was said to have originated. Peru
has the highest mortality rate in the world.
However, in India which is now home to B.1.617.3 and B.1.1.318, Lambda is yet to make its way. Experts have called for more genomic surveillance to identify and find solutions to the emerging Covid-19 variants.
A study by NYU Grossman School of Medicine that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed but published on July 3 has suggested vaccines are effective against the Lambda variant. However, more studies are to be carried out to ascertain this fact as some reports suggest the new variant could spread fast.
Lambada variant is widespread across South America, having first appeared in Peru in August last year, and is accounting for more and more cases in these countries.
Scientists from the WHO warned that the Lambada has an unusual set of mutations, which may make it more infectious and deadlier than the Delta variant. It is not yet listed as a “variant of concern”, rather a “variant of interest” by the WHO, meaning it has been identified as causing transmission or detected in multiple countries.
Lambda accounts for nearly 82 per cent of the coronavirus case samples reported during May and June, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
The variant was detected in an overseas traveller who was in hotel quarantine in New South Wales in April, according to national genomics database AusTrakka.
On June 14, Lambda was listed as a “variant of interest” by the WHO due to its vast spread in South America.
Variants of interest are listed as such because they have the potential to be more infectious and severe, but haven’t yet had the devastating impact of those listed as variants of concern.
On June 23, Public Health England classified it as a “variant under investigation”, after six cases were detected in the UK to date, which were all linked to overseas travel.
According to research published last week but yet to be peer reviewed, Lambda has seven unique spike protein mutations. In contrast, the Delta variant first detected in India has two key spike protein mutations - T478K and L452R - that allow it to infect cells more easily and evade the body’s immune response.
