The so-called “British” strain of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was more deadly than the original version of the disease. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told about it, reports Reuters news agency.
“Today we were briefed on data that indicate that a new variant — a variant that was first identified in London and southeast England — may cause higher mortality,” Johnson said in a press briefing.
At the same meeting with reporters, the British government leader confirmed that vaccines used in the country remain effective against both old and new variants of the disease.
On January 20, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the coronavirus strain detected in the UK has already been identified in 60 countries and regions. At the same time, the coronavirus mutation found in South Africa has been identified in three more countries, and their total number has reached 23.
