Lambda variant: All you need to know about new strain of COVID-19 detected in UK
Even as the Delta variant, Delta plus variant of the of COVID-19 continues to rise in infections around the world, another variant, 'Lambda' seems to be new emerging threat. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently announced the Lambda variant as a 'variant of concern', meaning it was something to watch out for. On June 14, the WHO designated this variant, previously known as C.37, as the seventh and newest one.
WHO mentioned "Lambda has been associated with substantive rates of community transmission in multiple countries, with rising prevalence over time concurrent with increased COVID-19 incidence".
The new COVID-19 strain is much more dangerous than the Delta variant, said the UK Health Ministry adding that it has been detected in more than 30 countries in the past four weeks.
Where was first Lambda variant case detected?
In Peru, where the Lambda variant is believed to have originated, accounts for almost 80% of the infections. This has been detected in samples dating back to as early as December 2020. It is the dominant strain in neighbouring Chile as well. But until recently, it was largely concentrated in a handful of South American countries, including Argentina.
The UK said it had found this variant in six infected people, all international travellers. The Public Health England recognised it as having a potential increased transmissibility or possible increased resistance to neutralizing antibodies.
Recently, it has also been found in Australia.
What makes it different from other variants?
There are now 11 official SARS-CoV-2 variants listed by the WHO. All SARS-CoV-2 variants are distinguished from one another by mutations in their spike proteins — the components of the virus that allow it to invade human cells.
The WHO bulletin said, "Lambda carries a number of mutations with suspected phenotypic implications, such as a potential increased transmissibility or possible increased resistance to neutralizing antibodies."
However, not much about the behaviour of the Lambda variant is known.
"There is currently limited evidence on the full extent of the impact associated with these genomic changes, and further robust studies into the phenotype impacts are needed to better understand the impact on countermeasures, and to control the spread,” the WHO said in a statement. “Further studies are also required to validate the continued effectiveness of vaccines."
