Health officials step up studies on COVID-19 mutations

[snoop1130]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Department of Medical Sciences has reported 230 people infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19, the variant first reported in India. The department is closely monitoring variants first detected in South Africa and Thailand’s neighboring country.

 

Head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Prof. Dr. Yong Poovorawan, said today that viruses go through mutations to increase their chances of survival. The Delta variant is spreading faster than the variant first discovered in the United Kingdom (UK), or the Alpha variant. The Beta variant, which was first detected in South Africa, can evade immune responses and vaccines, but it is spreading at a slower rate. They have to be closely examined, to limit the spread of the pandemic. Vaccines have undergone rigorous trials and research, and should be able to deal with these variants.

 

Director-General of the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr. Supakit Sirilak, said today that random testing was conducted following the recent outbreak, and 90 percent of 3,964 samples were infected with the Alpha variant. Thai authorities are concerned about the Delta and Beta variants found in the country.

 

Of the 230 patients infected with the Delta variant, 206 cases were from a camp for construction workers in Lak Si district, Bangkok. Some COVID-19 cases in other construction camps were associated with the camp in Lak Si. Twenty-six people were infected with the Beta variant in Tak Bai district, Narathiwat province.

 

Head of the Center for Medical Genomics at Ramathibodi Hospital, Prof. Dr. Wasun Chantratita, said today that more than 30,000 genetic codes are being decoded, with information-sharing and cooperation from foreign agencies. These studies will provide more knowledge on disease control and prevention. The B.1.524 variant, which was first reported in Malaysia, is being closely monitored, but the variant is not as severe. Officials are keeping a close watch on the Beta variant. No mutation has been detected in Thailand at this time.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-06-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[ThailandRyan]

Alpha Beta is a grocery chain in the US. DELTAS is an airline.  Study away....

[Stargeezr]

The variants of the UK now is Alpha, South African is Beta, Brazil is Gamma, India is Delta.

  the Greek alphabet is also Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon,

Phi, Chi, Psi, and Omega.  There was no J or Q in the Greek days.     Still lots of letters are left, but I hope that not too many more are used before this pandemic is over.

    Geezer

Edited June 9, 2021 by Stargrazer9889
error

[huangnon]

Expect the "Narnia" variant that is a threat to children to be along shortly

[pokerface1]

21 hours ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

The variants of the UK now is Alpha, South African is Beta, Brazil is Gamma, India is Delta.

  the Greek alphabet is also Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lambda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon,

Phi, Chi, Psi, and Omega.  There was no J or Q in the Greek days.     Still lots of letters are left, but I hope that not too many more are used before this pandemic is over.

    Geezer

Lucky China  they missed out having a variant named after them .

[Stargeezr]

Yes Pokerface1, I agree, maybe the original virus should be  Chi.   Just saying...

Geezer