Researchers and experts found out this week that a new form of COVID-19 has spread from Europe to the United States. How lethal is the new mutation of the virus? 

COVID-19
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The world continues to suffer from infectious and deadly COVID-19. As of today, the number of COVID-19 infections has already reached to over 33 million and with a death toll of nearly 1 million, according to the data obtained in Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

The United States still leads the world with the highest infections. The country has recorded more than 7 million infections and over 204,000 deaths, according to the official tally of worldometers. These numbers are expected to increase. 

This time, researchers and experts found out a new strain of COVID-19 that has spread from Europe to the United States. Experts revealed that the new form of the virus is more contagious than the first. This just means that it is more lethal. 

According to a study published in the medical journal Cell, the major difference between the old and new forms of COVID-19 is its transmission rate. The new form of COVID-19 is more infectious than the previous strain. It is three to nine times more infectious. 

Moreover, the severity of COVID-19 symptoms remained the same. People who tested positive for the virus still experienced dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, fatigue, and more. As the days progressed, more things are discovered about the virus.

Erica Ollmann Saphire of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology and the Coronavirus Immunotherapy Consortium, who worked on one study, told a news outlet in July "It is now the dominant form infecting people. This is now the virus," Researchers dubbed the new virus as G614. 

Bette Korber of Los Alamos National Laboratory and colleagues wrote in their report "Our global tracking data show that the G614 variant in Spike has spread faster than D614. We interpret this to mean that the virus is likely to be more infectious. Interestingly, we did not find evidence of G614 impact on disease severity."

Researchers claim it has almost completely replaced the initial strain. The mutation affects the spike protein and the structure the virus uses to get into the cells it infects. Researchers are now attempting to learn if this new strain can be controlled by a vaccine. 

The researchers and experts also added that the new strain of the virus multiplies much faster in the upper respiratory tract, making it three to nine times more infectious. However, the symptoms and severity of the two remain the same. This means that its infection rate is high but its severity of symptoms remained the same. 

Even though the new findings of the research suggest as to how fast the new strain of COVID-19 can spread, experts still suggest wearing masks, observe social distancing, and frequently wash your hands with soap and water. There is still no way to combat the virus but to practice the highest form of hygiene. 

Researchers concluded, "Whether or not that conclusion is ultimately confirmed, it highlights the value of what were already good ideas: to wear masks and to maintain social distancing."

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