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Scientists are concerned that a Covid surge in China could lead to a new mutant of the coronavirus. The new variant could be similar to the Omicron variant, or it could be a combination of strains, but it could also be something completely different, the scientists said.
“China has a large population with limited immunity. It seems like an environment where we could see an explosion of new variants,” said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University, according to Bloomberg.
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The scientist explained that each new infection presents an opportunity for Covid to mutate, and China has largely abandoned its “zero-Covid” policy as the virus spread rapidly through the country of 1.4 billion people. As population immunity declines, it could become fertile ground for further mutations of the virus.
Dr Stuart Campbell Ray likened the virus to a boxer, saying: “When we see a big wave of infection, usually new variants emerge.” ”
Dr. Lei further said: “Most of the mild events we’ve experienced in many parts of the world over the past 6 to 12 months have been due to the accumulation of immunity through vaccination or infection, not due to changes in the severity of the virus”.
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Dr. Shanlu Liu, who studies viruses at Ohio State University, said many existing omicron variants, including BF.7, have been detected in China, while Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies viruses at the Indian Christian Medical College, said it still exists in China Whether it will follow the same evolutionary pattern as in other parts of the world remains to be seen.
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