Mutations in the coronavirus that cause covid

Since last June, scientists have learned of a mutation from the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 which mutates into this new type is known to be more easily transmitted and infect humans than the original strain originating from Wuhan, China.

This was also announced by the Director General of Health Malaysia, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, in a post on social media.

"(Coronavirus mutations) were found to be 10 times more likely to infect other people and more easily spread by individuals," wrote Abdullah, Sunday (16/8).

Why is the Coronavirus mutation that causes COVID-19 more contagious?

This new mutation from SARS-CoV-2 is called the D614 strain or the G mutation. To remind you, the Corona virus that causes COVID-19 which is currently endemic is called SARS-CoV-2. This virus is known to have first attacked humans in Wuhan, China in December 2019.

Since then SARS-CoV-2 has mutated several times. The first mutation, the 'S' strain, appeared in mid-January 2020, then the virus continued to mutate little by little.

The latest development, researchers from the University of Bologna, Italy, found that there are 6 types of mutations in the Coronavirus strain that are currently endemic.

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What hmm viral mutation? Mutation is a change in genetic material or material that makes up a virus. Mutations occur when the virus replicates / reproduces itself.

When a living thing self-replicates, it does not always make a perfect copy of the exact same material and genetic composition that made it up. In other words, viruses make mistakes during the self-replicating process, this is what is called a mutation.

The difference between the D614G mutation from the original type is in the arrangement of the virus spike protein or the outside of the virus which forms like "spikes". These "spines" are used by the virus to enter the human body.

A separate study from The Scripps Research Institute, The United States, explained that the mutation of the Coronavirus type D614G was 10 times more infectious than the original because the protein spike ruptures less frequently. The study was published on the online research site bioRxiv but has not undergone peer review to date.

Mutation is something that naturally happens, it can make the virus more dangerous or weaker. However, so far only the D614G mutation has been identified that has the potential to change the behavior of SARS-CoV-2 into a type that has a higher infectious ability.

What is the importance of analyzing infectious virus mutations?

In a July study published in the journal Cell, US biologist Dr. Bette Korber found that the D614G strain was initially more common in Europe. Cases of COVID-19 infection from this mutated SARS-CoV-2 began to increase outside Europe in early March.

The D614G mutation is now the dominant strain in the COVD-19 pandemic, with about 70 percent of the 50,000 coronavirus genomes carrying the mutation.

Although said to be 10 times more contagious, Dr Korber said that this type of mutation is no more lethal in COVID-19 patients. He explained that the level of symptoms in COVID-19 patients depends on comorbidities, age and gender.

Professor Gavin Smith from the infectious disease program department National University of Singapore said that this mutation isn't really the easier way to transmit. He said the D614G mutation only appeared to be more easily transmitted because it entered areas with uncontrolled transmission of COVID-19.

For the community, this mutation does not change the method of prevention that must be carried out but instead must be done in a better and more disciplined manner. The main thing is to keep your distance and avoid crowds, if you have to leave the house then wear a mask and pay attention to distance from other people, and always remember to maintain cleanliness and wash your hands frequently.