UK Health Protection Agency: “AY.4.2 strain does not cause more severe development of COVID-19”

Baku, October 24, Azartec

According to preliminary data, a new subspecies of AY.4.2 ‘Delta’ coronavirus, which has spread rapidly in the UK in recent weeks, does not cause a more severe course of the disease. Britain’s Health Protection Agency pointed to this in a statement, AZERTAC reports.

“There is currently no evidence that this variant is causing a more severe course of the disease or that the vaccines used in the country are less effective against it. We regularly receive new information on this strain, ” They said.

He said that the variant AY.4.2, which was identified in July, has been designated as a study variant (10 subspecies in total) reflecting the increasing number of infection cases from this strain. Currently, this variant accounts for about 10% of new infections. If incidence continues to rise in the coming weeks, this strain is at risk of becoming a “worry type”, classified in the state as “delta”, “alpha”, “gamma” and “beta” strains. is done.

“We have classified this strain as the ‘Version Under Investigation’ based on the fact that it has begun to spread rapidly in the UK in recent months. Preliminary indications are that it may be more prevalent than the Delta strain could.” agency in a statement.

AY.4.2 is one of 45 subspecies of the Delta strain that has been recognized worldwide. The spike protein in this subspecies has two specific mutations Y145H and A222V that affect human cells. Both mutations were previously found to be isolated in other subspecies of coronavirus strains, but none of them later received “probe variant” status in the state, suggesting that the virus was not highly contagious.