New Lambda Covid variant has caught the attention of health authorities

·7 Jul 2021

As South Africa continues to battle a Delta variant of the coronavirus sweeping across the country, a ‘Lambda’ variant has gained the attention of health experts.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has added the ‘Lambda’ variant, also known as C.37, as the seventh and newest “variant of interest”. It was first detected in Peru in December 2020, and is related to 81% of its cases since April.

Peru currently has the highest Covid mortality rate globally, in relation to the size of its population.

The latest strain has reportedly spread to around 30 countries, including the UK, but is mostly contained to Latin America. To date, there is no evidence to show that this variant has been detected in South Africa.

“Lambda carries a number of mutations with suspected phenotypic implications, such as a potential increased transmissibility or possible increased resistance to neutralizing antibodies,” the WHO said.

“There is currently limited evidence on the full extent of the impact associated with these genomic changes, and further robust studies into the phenotypic impacts are needed to better understand the impact on countermeasures and to control the spread. Further studies are also required to validate the continued effectiveness of vaccines,” it said.

South Africa meanwhile, recorded 15,501 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, which represents a 26.2% positivity rate.

#COVID19 UPDATE: A total of 59,271 tests were conducted in the last 24 hrs, with 15,501 new cases, which represents a 26.2% positivity rate. A further 457 #COVID19 related deaths have been reported, bringing total fatalities to 62,628 to date. Read more: https://t.co/DHaQPC1j5a pic.twitter.com/jfYaVOzDTV

— NICD (@nicd_sa) July 6, 2021