Mutation! Are We Now Dealing With A Deadlier Covid-19 Strain?

Well, it seems we are closer to solving the mystery of why some regions of the world exhibit higher covid-19 mortality infection and mortality rates than others.

New research is revealing that covid-19 mutated early on in the pandemic to create a more transmissive strain: the G clade, which may also be associated with a higher viral load. The G clade was dominant in Italy, which suggests that’s why the virus hit that country so much harder than many others.

In the US, New York appears to have suffered from a high percentage of G clade cases. That’s likely why the infection rate has been much higher there than in other states. In addition to the news about the new strain, we’re also now seeing evidence that the impact of covid-19 can linger for much longer than previously appreciated.

There are reports of patients still struggling with symptoms 50 or more days after onset.

To re-iterate our oft-repeated advice: You do NOT want to get this virus if you can avoid it.