May 06, 2020

Anna Murray 

World scientists have been analyzing SARS-CoV-2 mutations hoping to create an early warning system to tell people what may render future vaccines ineffective. A study from University College London has identified 198 recurring mutations to the novel coronavirus.

A study, available on pre-print server bioRxiv, released from US researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory, stated that they have identified 14 new mutations of the novel coronavirus that first originated in Wuhan of China. One mutation, called “mutation spike D614G”, is of urgent concern by researchers. The mutation spike D614G first appeared in Europe in February at an alarming rate and became dominant strain across the world by mid-March.

According to sharing data related to influenza and the coronavirus from the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) in Germany, the mutation spike D614G almost exclusively spread in Europe, with 29% of the global samples. The D614G virus is found more contagious than the original Wuhan version (called D614). Thus, scientists consider an urgent need for an early warning to the world in case the mutation affects the development of drugs and vaccines.

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