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Coronavirus mutations appearing in Siberia: Russian scientists

WION Web Team
Siberia, RussiaUpdated: Nov 18, 2020, 10:49 AM IST
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Photograph:(Reuters)

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This claim has come a few months after a US study had found very little evidence of mutations in this virus could make it deadlier

It has been almost a year since the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and affected millions of lives around the globe. While the world is getting used to the new normal now and hoping for a coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible, Russian scientists have discovered another version of the virus.

A Russian consumer health watchdog has recently observed mutations in the coronavirus in Siberia. “We see certain changes...in Siberia which allow us to assume that in this region it is forming its own version with specific mutations,” Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor, was quoted as saying by news agencies.

However, the scientists have not yet released details about this mutation and the new version of the novel coronavirus. As of now, it is not clear how contagious or deadly the mutation is considered to be. Although, it is being believed that this mutation will not make the virus more dangerous. Mutations of the coronavirus could not influence the vaccine’s effectiveness, the Vector Institute’s director general, Rinat Maksyutov, was quoted as saying by TASS.

This claim has come a few months after a US study had found very little evidence of mutations in this virus could make it deadlier. The report had claimed, in September, that the disease caused by the coronavirus was linked to the patients' existing medical conditions.

The new report, released on Tuesday, has come at a time when Russia has started the final phase of testing of the COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, which is being hailed as world's first coronavirus vaccine. Countries such as India have started the Phase 2 human trials, while a few others have started the Phase 3 trial on human beings.

Meanwhile, Russia is struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The European country recorded nearly 442 deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday. People have been advised to stay home as much as they can and only step out in case of emergencies with proper precautions.