In response to the emergence of reportedly more transmissible strains of COVID-19, Academia Sinica on Tuesday launched a real-time monitoring network to track the spread of different variants of the virus.
The new COVID-19 variant detected in the UK earlier this month was identified as having mutated from one of six dominant strains of the virus, according to the network’s Web site.
The UK variant is a sub-strain of the Type 6 variant of COVID-19, said a research team that comprises scientists from different fields, including Academia Sinica President James Liao (廖俊智).
Photo: Screengrab from the Academia Sinica Web site
The team used DNA sequences from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data, a global science initiative and primary source that provides open access to DNA data on influenza viruses.
The Type 6 variant has since April become globally dominant, accounting for more than 95 percent of infections confirmed after mid-May, found a study published by the team in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Nov. 12.
The strain is defined by four single nucleotide variations that often co-occur, the team said, adding that other strains did not spread as efficiently, which suggests that COVID-19 is highly adaptable.
The UK mutation shows that the evolution of the virus cannot be easily stopped, Academia Sinica said.
The new network aims to facilitate the quick discovery of emerging variants and help assess vaccine efficiency, it said.
The network’s Web site can be visited at sarscov2.sinica.edu.tw/tracking.html.
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