B117 variant is between 30 and 100% more deadly than previous dominant variants, researchers say
A highly infectious variant of the novel coronavirus that has spread around the world since it was first discovered in Britain late last year is between 30 per cent and 100 per cent more deadly than previous dominant variants, researchers said on Wednesday.
In a study that compared death rates among people in Britain infected with the new SARS-CoV-2 variant — known as B117 — against those infected with other variants of the COVID-19-causing virus, scientists said the new variant's mortality rate was "significantly higher."
The B117 variant was first detected in Britain in September 2020, and has since also been found in more than 100 other countries.
It has 23 mutations in its genetic code — a relatively high number — and some of them have made it spread far more easily. Scientists say it is about 40 per cent to 70 per cent more transmissible than previous dominant variants that were circulating.
"In this comparatively low-risk group, this represents an increase in deaths from 2.5 to 4.1 per 1,000 detected cases," the researchers wrote.