Virologists Voice Growing Concern Over South African COVID-19 Variant

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has mutated into several strains. Most of them are not particularly different than the primary strains, but two, B.1.1.7, which was first observed in the U.K., and now 501.V2, which originated in South Africa, have virologists watching closely. Although neither strain appears to be more deadly or to cause more severe illness than earlier strains, both appear to be more transmissible, or “catchy.”