Another new and “unique” mutant variant of the coronavirus, which is said to have similarities to the British and South African variant, has been discovered by researchers in southern Finland.
A Helsinki-based laboratory said the variant, called Fin-796H, “was detected in a patient last week and, as a result, no details have been released about its transmissibility and resistance to existing vaccines.”
According to the national broadcaster NRK, 12 cases of the new mutation have been recorded in the past 24 hours, but it is considered unlikely that it was “born” in Finland, as the virus transmission rates in the country are very low.
“We do not know yet if it is more contagious, but it could be. “There are changes in the virus that can affect infectivity,” said Lynn Vold, head of the National Institute of Public Health, speaking to NRK.
The lab that “discovered” the new mutation considers it “important and unique”, as it may not be detectable by PCR tests, which look for specific genetic sequences in the RNA of the virus.
Up to now, 450 cases of mutations have been reported in Finland. Of these, 422 were in the British variant, 22 in the South African variant, and one case was in the Brazilian variant.
