Researchers from Cambridge followed “evolutionary path” of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and set that the new coronavirus as it spread from Asia to Europe, North America and Australia has undergone at least three mutations.
a team of scientists used data from 160 viral genomes sampled worldwide in the period from 24 December 2019 4 March 2020. The study identified various options COVID-19, which are still designated as “A”, “B” and “C”. The so-called “viral strains”, applied to the map, showed unexpected results.
the Original type “A”, which is believed to have jumped to humans from bats, was not predominant in Wuhan. He really was recorded in some patients of Chinese cities, but most widely in the United States and Australia.
apparently, in China, the original virus mutated fast enough to type “In” he caused the epidemic. The second option COVID-19 was diagnosed in most patients in East Asia but outside the region did not.
In Europe, mainly spread a third of the new strain of coronavirus that causes “C”. Although in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands dominating appeared to be “In”. The mutation “C” revealed the first patients in France, Italy, Sweden and England. This type is completely absent in the sample of viral genomes in mainland China, but its isolated cases are noted in Singapore, Hong Kong and South Korea.
According to the author of the study genetics Peter Forster, the number of mutations and the resulting map of their distribution shows the exact path of the movement of the virus. For example, we can say that in Italy COVID-19 was brought from Germany and Singapore.
Methods genetic networks, which we use to help accurately follow the established route of infection. So we with the big share of probability will be able to install future “hotspots” of the disease and take available preventive measures, — said the scientist.
Forster noted that the SARS-CoV-2 will continue to change. It is necessary to overcome the resistance of the immune system, which has differences among representatives of different peoples and different parts of the world. This behavior of the virus is confirmed by the localization of type “b” in East Asia — to reach beyond the region, it took him a mutation.
