The Wuhan virus has mutated again in the United Kingdom. Will the world need new vaccines to fight the mutating virus? WION's Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Wuhan virus mutates again in the UK

The UK variant of the coronavirus has developed a new, concerning mutation in a small number of cases, which scientists said makes it similar to the South African and Brazilian variants and could reduce the efficacy of vaccines.

The emergence of the mutation to the variant first discovered in Britain highlights how complicated exiting COVID-19 lockdown will be even once vaccines are rolled out.

Public Health England said there had been 11 reports of the UK variant which feature the E484K mutation, mostly in south-west England.

The E484K mutation, which occurs on the spike protein of the virus, is the same change as has been seen in the South African and Brazilian variants that have caused international concern.

"PHE is monitoring the situation closely and all necessary public health interventions are being undertaken, including enhanced contact tracing and control measures," a PHE spokesman said.

Several laboratory studies have found that vaccines and antibody therapy are less effective against the South African variant.

By contrast, early evidence showed that vaccines worked just as well against the UK variant, which originally did not have the E484K mutation.

Health minister Matt Hancock said it was too early to tell the impact of variants on vaccines, but mutations of concern had been reported in Bristol and Liverpool.

"We must continue to act with caution, not least because of the renewed challenges posed by new variants of the coronavirus," he told lawmakers.

Calum Semple, who is part of a panel that advises the British government, told BBC radio that E484K was the "mutation of most concern", and had "occurred spontaneously" in the UK variant.

The name E484K, in layman`s terms, is like map coordinates. The number 484 is the exact location of the mutation, the letter E is the amino acid that it was originally and the letter K is the amino acid that it has mutated to.

Concern over the South African variant, with its E484K mutation, has already prompted authorities in England to begin a door-to-door mass testing drive in areas where cases of the variant have been found in people with no link to South Africa, while mandatory quarantine in hotels for arrivals from South Africa is yet to come into force.

Though the number of reported cases of the UK variant with the concerning mutation are small, scientists said that it demonstrated how Britain`s high prevalence of cases meant that it was not enough simply to prevent new variants being imported.

"This report would seem to suggest that under conditions of very high levels of virus replication even the most stringent of border controls, although they may delay spread, are unlikely to prevent the appearance of new variants," said Jonathan Stoye, virologist at The Francis Crick Institute.

The UK variant of the coronavirus has developed a new, concerning mutation in a small number of cases, which scientists said makes it similar to the South African and Brazilian variants and could reduce the efficacy of vaccines.

The UK variant of the coronavirus has developed a new, concerning mutation in a small number of cases, which scientists said makes it similar to the South African and Brazilian variants and could reduce the efficacy of vaccines. The emergence of the mutation to the variant first discovered in Britain highlights how complicated exiting COVID-19 lockdown will be even once vaccines are rolled out. Public Health England said there had been 11 reports of the UK variant which feature the E484K mutation, mostly in south-west England. The E484K mutation, which occurs on the spike protein of the virus, is the same change as has been seen in the South African and Brazilian variants that have caused international concern. "PHE is monitoring the situation closely and all necessary public health interventions are being undertaken, including enhanced contact tracing and control measures," a PHE spokesman said. Several laboratory studies have found that vaccines and antibody therapy are less effective against the South African variant. By contrast, early evidence showed that vaccines worked just as well against the UK variant, which originally did not have the E484K mutation. Health minister Matt Hancock said it was too early to tell the impact of variants on vaccines, but mutations of concern had been reported in Bristol and Liverpool. "We must continue to act with caution, not least because of the renewed challenges posed by new variants of the coronavirus," he told lawmakers. Calum Semple, who is part of a panel that advises the British government, told BBC radio that E484K was the "mutation of most concern", and had "occurred spontaneously" in the UK variant. The name E484K, in layman`s terms, is like map coordinates. The number 484 is the exact location of the mutation, the letter E is the amino acid that it was originally and the letter K is the amino acid that it has mutated to. Concern over the South African variant, with its E484K mutation, has already prompted authorities in England to begin a door-to-door mass testing drive in areas where cases of the variant have been found in people with no link to South Africa, while mandatory quarantine in hotels for arrivals from South Africa is yet to come into force. Though the number of reported cases of the UK variant with the concerning mutation are small, scientists said that it demonstrated how Britain`s high prevalence of cases meant that it was not enough simply to prevent new variants being imported. "This report would seem to suggest that under conditions of very high levels of virus replication even the most stringent of border controls, although they may delay spread, are unlikely to prevent the appearance of new variants," said Jonathan Stoye, virologist at The Francis Crick Institute.

UK virus variant has developed concerning new mutation in small number of cases

UK health secretary Matt Hancock said today that most of the country will now enter tier 3 and 4 lockdown amid the rising number of the new strain of coronavirus cases.

Watch:

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The guidelines under tier 4 include "stay-at-home" order and the closure of "non-essential" services. The tier 4 measures will now be put in place in remaining part of UK's south-east region including in Midlands, north-east and south-west England.

The minister said tier 3 restrictions will be extended in north Yorkshire and Liverpool. Most of England will now be placed under tier 4 restrictions from midnight tonight, Hancock informed.

The tier 4 measures will also be implemented in Leicester City, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire, Birmingham and Black Country including Coventry and Solihull.

The tier 4 restrictions will also be put in place in Warwickshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Gloucestershire, Bournemouth, Isle of Wight and Tees Valley&nbsp;

"There were over 53,000 coronavirus cases registered yesterday and unfortunately most of it was the new variant," Hancock said while emphasising that there was "threat to life" and pressure on England's health services.

However, the minister said more people can now get vaccinated as AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine will now be available from Monday with 535 million doses available.

A report on Tuesday had said that 24 million people which is nearly 43 per cent of the population in England is already under strict "stay-at-home" lockdown.

The UK is one of the worst-hit countries in Europe with over 2.3 million virus cases and over 71, 670 fatalities.

UK health secretary Matt Hancock said today that most of the country will now enter tier 3 and 4 lockdown amid the rising number of the new strain of coronavirus cases.

UK health secretary Matt Hancock said today that most of the country will now enter tier 3 and 4 lockdown amid the rising number of the new strain of coronavirus cases. Watch: The guidelines under tier 4 include "stay-at-home" order and the closure of "non-essential" services. The tier 4 measures will now be put in place in remaining part of UK's south-east region including in Midlands, north-east and south-west England. The minister said tier 3 restrictions will be extended in north Yorkshire and Liverpool. Most of England will now be placed under tier 4 restrictions from midnight tonight, Hancock informed. The tier 4 measures will also be implemented in Leicester City, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire, Birmingham and Black Country including Coventry and Solihull. The tier 4 restrictions will also be put in place in Warwickshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Gloucestershire, Bournemouth, Isle of Wight and Tees Valley "There were over 53,000 coronavirus cases registered yesterday and unfortunately most of it was the new variant," Hancock said while emphasising that there was "threat to life" and pressure on England's health services. However, the minister said more people can now get vaccinated as AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine will now be available from Monday with 535 million doses available. A report on Tuesday had said that 24 million people which is nearly 43 per cent of the population in England is already under strict "stay-at-home" lockdown. The UK is one of the worst-hit countries in Europe with over 2.3 million virus cases and over 71, 670 fatalities.

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