A new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been found in South Africa and several other countries and it is reported in a study that it could likely be more contagious and escape protection provided by vaccines.

Researchers from National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) as well as the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), South Africa, have stated that C.1.2, a potential variant of interest, was first identified in South Africa in May, 2021. The variant has also been detected in China, Mauritius, England, New Zealand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Portugal and Switzerland, as of August 13.

A study, yet-to-be peer-reviewed, posted on MedRxiv, stated that C.1.2 has undergone considerable mutation compared to C.1… (ET Healthworld – PTI, August 31, 2021)