Researchers in the United States and South Korea have found variations of a new type of coronavirus, Report says, citing bioRxiv resource.
Specialists compared the SARS-CoV-2 genomes in patients around the world.
Thus, they identified that North America and Europe have four separate branches (clusters) of the virus.
The research revealed that genomes of the coronavirus vary depending on the region. Thus, there is a difference between viruses in Asia and the West.
Initially, the genetic composition of SARS-CoV-2 was more homogeneous but later divided into different branches.
According to scientists, the specifics of this coronavirus should be taken into account in the development of vaccines.
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in late 2019 in China's Hubei province, and the virus has spread to 212 countries and territories since then.
To date, COVID-19 cases surpassed 3,8 globally, resulting in more than 1,3 recoveries and over 265 deaths.
On February 11, the WHO officially named the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) as COVID-19, and on March 11, declared it a pandemic.