UK’s Contagious COVID-19 Variant Didn't Originate From South Africa
The Claim
The UK’s second, more infectious COVID-19 strain was transmitted by South African travelers arriving in the country.
Emerging story
Twitter users have claimed that the recently discovered mutated coronavirus strain that is rapidly spreading across all parts of the United Kingdom, particularly in London and Southern England, originated from South Africa.
Misbar’s Analysis
The UK mutant COVID-19 strain, also known as the H69/V70 variant, was identified by scientists in Kent, where it was found to have cropped up around September 20; and by November, around a quarter of cases in London were found to be the new variant. This reached nearly two-thirds of cases in mid-December with around 50 percent of new cases diagnosed between October and Dec. 13 in the U.K., according to the WHO. Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned that the variant may be up to 70 percent more transmissible, with further studies being carried out. Tony Cox, the CEO of UK Biocentre, tweeted a graph which tracked the spread of infections of the UK’s variant since the start of October showing its rapid viral rate of tranmission.
On the other hand, the new South African coronavirus strain, known as 501.V2, was first detected on 18 December 2020. A similar variant that has emerged from the African continent shares some of the same mutations but appears to be unrelated to the UK’s strain. The South African government has rejected allegations that the new variant contributed to the sudden increase in Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom.
On December 23rd, the UK Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, had announced that two cases of 501.V2 had reached the UK and that temporary increased travel restrictions on flights from South Africa would be implemented, as well as requiring recent visitors from South Africa to immediately quarantine themselves.
The SA Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize stated that the strains are “two completely independent lineages” and that his British counterpart’s words “have created a perception that the variant in SA has been a major factor in the second wave in the UK.” Whilst the variant is potentially more infectious, the health minister claimed that there is yet to be evidence that indicated that 501.V2 causes more severe disease or increases the mortality rate compared to any other variant of the virus that been sequenced in the world.
Susan Hopkins from Public Health England echoed the independence of the strain by stating that the new variant in the UK “is very different to the variant in South Africa- it’s got different mutations,” whilst also ascertaining that “both of them look like they’re more transmissible.” Although different strains, they share at least one mutation called N501Y that may make the virus more infectious.
According to Hopkins, the evolution of viruses is not unusual and that there is still confidence that the developed vaccines currently being distributed worldwide should be effective “because the vaccine produces a strong immune response and it’s broad and acts against lots of variation in the virus”.
There is currently no clear answer as to the origins of either variant, with the most likely explanation being that the virus mutated in a person who was immunocompromised and took immunosuppressant drugs or chemotherapy.
The Misbar team has found the claim that the UK’s new and more transmittable coronavirus variant, H69/V70, had originated from South Africa to be false.
