COVID-19 Mutation In Malaysia Considered Reasonable By Chinese Experts

JAKARTA - Health expert in China Yang Zhanqiu considers it natural that the mutation of the corona virus is 10 times easier as detected in Malaysia.

"It is normal for a virus to mutate in different countries and even in several regions in one country because the virus adapts to the DNA of residents and the local environment," the Deputy Head of the Pathogen Biology Department at Wuhan University was quoted by the official Chinese media, quoted by Antara, Tuesday. , August 18th

Director General of the Malaysian Ministry of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah said that the D614G mutation from the COVID-19 virus is 10 times more likely to infect a person in Malaysia. He reminded the public to be more careful.

Similar cases have also occurred in India and Japan so that they have caught the attention of the international community amidst the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trials and positive cases have reached 22 million worldwide.

According to Yang, one transmission line can form a new route if more than 20 percent of the genetic mutations can cause the vaccine to lose its effectiveness. But he hastily stated that the possibility was very low.

"The mutation will not change the efficacy of a drug," said Yang again.

On August 12, a study published by the Japanese National Institute of Infectious Diseases also showed that since late May, a mutated version of the coronavirus, which was previously widespread in Europe, has penetrated Japan.

Most of the patients who have recently been confirmed positive in Japan are believed to have been infected with the virus as a result of the mutation, according to local Japanese media.

A team of genomics researchers identified 73 strains of the coronavirus in Odisha, India, after tracking 1,536 samples, including 752 clinical samples, Indian media reported.

Experts in China are trying to calm the public by explaining that firstly, mutations do not necessarily affect the location of the vaccine target and secondly, current experimental vaccines usually cover more than one target site to ensure efficacy.

They also urged tightening anti-plague policies, especially on imported cases.

"If China fails to control this pandemic, mutations will be more prevalent in China," Yang said.

In previous studies, the virus containing D614G had spread in Europe in early February and then formed a transmission route around the world.

This route of transmission usually mutates into various types of human cells, including cells from the lungs, liver and colon.

It was this flow from Europe that was finally detected when cases of a new wave of the COVID-19 outbreak were discovered at Xinfadi Main Market, Beijing, in June, the Global Times said.