New type of COVID-19 detected in Britain

Public Health England (PHE) said a new coronavirus variant had been identified in the UK in two people, Report informs, citing Reuters.

“The variant contains the spike mutations E484K and N501Y, both usually associated with Variants of Concern (VOC), however, it does not feature specific deletions that would lead to a designation as a VOC,” PHE noted in a statement.

A mutated version, E484K, was discovered in mid-December last year. The UK Ministry of Health says the new SARS-CoV-2 is spreading faster than its predecessor and is prevalent in London.