[News] National Institute of Health confirms that cases of the Mu variant rose in Peru

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A new variant turns on the alarms about a possible new wave of infections: variant B.1.621. Baptized as "mu" by the World Health Organization (WHO). This new COVID-19 mutation was detected for the first time in Colombia at the beginning of the year, then in Ecuador and is now present in our country.

Only Tacna would be able to vaccinate 75% of its po[CENSORED]tion this year at the current rate
Although the WHO has indicated that its global prevalence is still minimal, around 0.1%. It continues to draw attention to the contagion rates in Colombia and Ecuador, where the prevalence is 39% and 13%, respectively, and "has been increasing steadily."

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Lely Solari, infectologist at the National Institute of Health (INS) of the Ministry of Health, reported that to date, in Peru there are 67 identified cases of the mu variant of the coronavirus. In May, the first patient was detected in Moquegua, and now cases have also been reported in Tacna, Arequipa, Lima, Callao and among other areas.

She explained that to date, this variant has been detected in more than 10 departments of the national territory. “In our country it is also present. We have reported the first case in the month of May in a patient from Moquegua, and to date we have 67 cases identified with this variant at the national level, in 13 regions of the country, and in the Constitutional Province of Callao ”, he indicated in an interview for RPP.

The INS infectologist recalled what was mentioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) that this variant presents mutations that could indicate a risk of immune escape or resistance to vaccines.

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"This variant has the characteristic, it has mutations that make us think this characteristic of immune escape that in people who have already been exposed to the virus either by natural infection or by vaccine, it can present infection," she said.

Along these lines, Solari reported that 10 already vaccinated patients were infected with COVID-19 due to this variant. However, she clarified that "none of these have presented severe infection."

The WHO has classified Mu, the variant of the coronavirus detected last January in Colombia, as "of interest", and is currently present in 39 countries, including Peru.

According to the information that has been made public by the National Institute of Health of Colombia, there are three mutations in the spike protein that have shown that it could be more transmissible than other variants. However, it has yet to be determined whether this has to do with the same variant or with epidemiological issues in the country.

https://gestion.pe/peru/instituto-nacional-de-salud-confirma-que-se-elevaron-casos-de-la-variante-mu-en-el-peru-coronavirus-minsa-nndc-noticia/