Yashashree Malpathak
www.mediaeyenews.com
While the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to drive the rise in cases around the world, scientists and health experts are increasingly seeing Lambda as a new emerging concern.
The Lambda is a variant is believed to be first detected in Peru in December 2020. It was largely concentrated in some South American countries with samples are significantly found in Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador. According to GISAID, it has been found in 29 countries, the majority of which are in South America. It has recently been reported in the UK and some other regions of Europe such as Germany and Spain. It is yet to be reported in India.
Previously recognized by its scientific name C.37, this variant is listed by WHO as the ‘Variant of Interest’ of the Sars-CoV-2 virus. The ‘Variants of Interest’ are variants that have genetic alterations that can affect the virus’s transmissibility, disease severity, immunological escape, diagnostic or therapeutic escape. They have also been identified as a source of considerable community transmission or numerous COVID-19 clusters in several countries. It is one of the four currently designated ‘Variants of Interest’ which include the Eta, Iota, and Kappa variants.
According to the WHO, the Lambda variant has at least seven significant mutations in the spike protein compared to three in the Delta variant. This could have a variety of consequences, including increased transmissibility or enhanced antibody resistance caused by natural infection or vaccination. However, due to a lack of study, it is still unclear how concerning it is.
According to a new study, the Lambda variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is more contagious than both, the Alpha and Gamma variants, which were first discovered in the UK and Brazil, respectively. The study is based on tests on samples obtained from healthcare workers in Chile and has not yet been peer-reviewed.
