GENEVA / ZURICH (Reuters) – The World Health Organization has warned against stern warnings about a new infectious strain of the coronavirus that has emerged in Britain, saying this was a normal part of a pandemic evolution.
WHO officials even shed positive light on the discovery of the new strains that prompted several countries under fear to ban travel on Britain and South Africa, saying new tools for detecting the virus were working.
“We need to find a balance. It’s very important to have clarity, it’s very important to tell the public how it is, but it’s also important to know that this is a normal part of virus evolution,” he said. WHO emergency chief, Mike Ryan. he reported an online message.
“Being able to detect a virus closely, this carefully, this scientifically in real time is a real breakthrough for global public health, and the countries conducting this type of study should be commended. “
Citing data from Britain, WHO officials said they had no evidence that the variant was making people sicker or more deadly than the existing COVID-19 strains, although it appeared to be it spread easier.
Countries that enforced travel loops were working out of enough caution while assessing risks, Ryan said, adding: “That makes sense. But it’s also important that all Recognizing that this is happening, these changes are happening. “
WHO officials said that coronavirus mutations to date have been much slower than with the flu and that even the new variant in the UK was living much less frequently than other diseases such as pneumonia.
They said vaccines developed to treat COVID-19 should address the new variables as well, although studies were ongoing to make sure this was the case.
“So far, even though we have seen a number of changes, a number of mutations, none have had a significant effect on either the susceptibility of the virus to any of the medicines, drugs or vaccines that are being used. use now and it is hoped that this will continue, “WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan told the meeting.
The WHO said it expects to get more details within days or weeks on the potential impact of the new highly portable coronavirus strain.