Mutated COVID-19 Version Spreading Across US

Mutated COVID-19 Version Spreading Across US

Medical experts say the most dominant¹ form of COVID-19 currently spreading in the United States appears to spread faster than earlier variants³, or versions. In addition, it might be better at escaping immunity⁴ and could cause more serious disease.

Scientists say the "subvariant" now spreading is a mutation⁵ genetically⁷ linked to both the Omicron and Delta⁸ versions of COVID-19. Both of those versions were dominant in the U.S. in the past. The new virus form has a genetic⁶ quality that comes from the pandemic's past. It is known as a "Delta mutation."

Dr. Wesley Long is an infectious disease expert at Houston Methodist in Texas. He said it appears to permit the virus "to escape pre-existing immunity from vaccination⁹ and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the Omicron wave." The mutation is believed to be able to better escape immunity because the past Omicron variant² did not have it.

The current variant spreading in the U.S., known as BA.2.12.1, was responsible for about 58 percent of U.S. COVID-19 infections one week ago.

There are other kinds of Omicron viruses that have the mutation. Two in South Africa, known as BA.4 and BA.5, have the same genetic mutation as delta. And BA.2.12.1 has one that is nearly the same.

This genetic change may trouble people who caught the first Omicron version and thought it made them unlikely to get COVID-19 again soon. Most people do not know for sure which kind of coronavirus caused their illness. But the first Omicron version caused a huge wave of cases late last year and early this year.

Long said laboratory data suggests that an earlier infection with the first Omicron is not very protective against reinfection with the new mutations. However, one study by researchers at Ohio State University found those who had Delta may have some immunity against the new viruses.

Dr. Shan-Lu Liu co-wrote the study. He said the amount of protection a Delta infection provides depends partly on how long ago someone was sick. That is because immunity decreases over time.

Long advises that people who got sick with Delta should not think of themselves as completely protected against the new subvariants, especially if they are not vaccinated¹⁰. He said, "I wouldn't say anyone is safe."

Liu said booster shots can provide strong protection against the new kinds of COVID-19. In general, vaccines¹¹ and past infection can protect people from the worst outcomes of COVID-19. But Liu added that early data point toward more serious disease with the new mutants. Scientists say it is too early to know if the versions will lead to a higher rate of hospitalizations and deaths.

Though home testing makes it difficult to follow all U.S. COVID cases, data from Johns Hopkins University show they are averaging nearly 107,000 a day. That is up from 87,000 two weeks ago. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the number of people entering the hospital with COVID-19 has been increasing since around mid-April.

Long said, "I'm hopeful that we don't see a similar increase in hospitalizations that we've had in prior waves." He added, "But with COVID, any time you have lots of people being infected, it's just a numbers game. Some of those people are going to be severe. Some of those people are going to need hospitalization. Some of them, unfortunately, are going to pass away."

Words in This Story

dominant – adj. the main or most important

immunity – n. to be protected against catching¹² a disease

mutate – v. to cause (a gene) to change and create an unusual characteristic in a plant or animal

prior – adj. existing earlier in time

booster shot – n. an extra amount of a substance (called a vaccine) that is injected with a needle into a person or animal to help protect against a particular disease

unfortunately – adv. used to say that something bad or unlucky has happened

pass away – v. to die

1 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

2 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

3 variants   

n.变体( variant的名词复数 )；变种；变型；（词等的）变体

参考例句：

• Those variants will be preserved in the'struggle for existence". 这些变异将在“生存竞争”中被保留下来。 来自辞典例句
• Like organisms, viruses have variants, generally called strains. 与其他生物一样，病毒也有变种，一般称之为株系。 来自辞典例句

4 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

5 mutation   

n.变化，变异，转变

参考例句：

• People who have this mutation need less sleep than others.有这种突变的人需要的睡眠比其他人少。
• So far the discussion has centered entirely around mutation in the strict sense.到目前为止，严格来讲，讨论完全集中于围绕突变问题上。

6 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

7 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

8 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

9 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

10 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

11 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

12 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。