PAHO monitoring COVID-19 Mu variant in Latin America

Source: Xinhua| 2021-09-02 05:57:32|Editor: huaxia

BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is monitoring the evolution in Latin America of the Mu variant of the novel coronavirus, detected in Colombia and labeled as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Aug. 30.

"Thanks to the strategic monitoring carried out by Colombia's National Institute of Health, this variant called B.1.621, which has been circulating in Colombia and other countries, was detected in January," Jairo Mendez Rico, PAHO advisor on emerging viral diseases, said Wednesday during a virtual press conference.

According to Mendez, the new variant does not pose a particular threat or risk, since community transmission in the region continues to be relatively sporadic.

Cases of the Mu variant have been recorded in Costa Rica and Ecuador, but without major impact in terms of severity, mortality or marked increase in transmission, Mendez said.

In its weekly bulletin, the WHO said the Mu variant had been detected in 39 countries but was declining globally, with predominance in less than 0.1 percent of cases.

However, Mendez noted the variant accounts for 39 percent of cases in Colombia and 13 percent of cases in Ecuador, and showed steady increase.

Labeling it a "variant of concern" calls for monitoring it "very closely, looking for additional evidence and being attentive to any changes in its clinical or epidemiological behavior," explained Mendez. Enditem

KEY WORDS: Argentina,Coronavirus
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