translated from Spanish: Brazil: identify a new strain of coronavirus in Rio de Janeiro

The situation in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, is creating more complicated, now scientists discovered a new strain derived from B.1.1.28, which has been in circulation in the country since the beginning of the year. And while it is not yet known whether this new strain is more aggressive or contagious, it alarms the discovery. Samples of 180 genomes of Sars-CoV-2 circulating in the state of Rio de Janeiro were sequenced by the Bioinformatics Laboratory of the National Laboratory of Scientific Computing (LNCC). Of which 180 genomes analyzed, 38 had mutations indicating that it is a new strain, as explained by Ana Tereza Vasconcelos, coordinator of the National Laboratory. And 60% of genomes belong to the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The analysis of the data was carried out in conjunction with the Laboratory of Molecular Virology of the Federal University (UFRJ), among other institutions. So far, they were unable to determine whether the identified strain is more contagious or more dangerous, but infer that if the virus expands more easily, this could explain some of the increase in cases reported in the state since November. 

Original source in Spanish