Lambda covid variant

• A new COVID-19 strain called 'Lambda' is much more dangerous than the Delta variant, said the UK Health Ministry adding that it has been detected in more than 30 countries in the past four weeks.
• Last week, the UK health department added Lambda variant (C.37) to its list of 'variants under investigation' (VUI) due to international expansion.

About Lambda variant:

• Lambda variant is not a new emergence.
• It has been around at least since last year.
• In Peru, where it is believed to have originated, it accounts for almost 80% of the infections.
• It is the dominant strain in neighbouring Chile as well. But until recently, it was largely concentrated in a handful of South American countries, including Ecuador and Argentina.
• Since the end of March, this variant has been detected in more than 25 countries, although the numbers are still very small.
• The UK, for example, said it had found this variant in six infected people, all international travellers.

Significant mutations and threats:

• According to the WHO, the Lambda variant has at least seven significant mutations in the spike protein (the Delta variant has three) which could have a range of implications, including the possibility of increased transmissibility or enhanced resistance to antibodies, created either through natural infection or vaccination.
• A recent study by researchers at the Chile reported that the Lambda variant had greater infectivity than the Alpha and Gamma variants.
• The study also reported decreased effectiveness of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine (Coronavac) against the Lambda variant.

Variant of interest:

• The designation of lambda as a “variant of interest” means that the genetic changes involved are predicted or known to affect transmissibility, disease severity, or immune escape.
• It is also an acknowledgement of the fact that the variant has caused significant community transmission in multiple countries and population groups.
• There are currently seven variants, including the Lambda, that the WHO classifies as “variants of interest”.
• Another four – Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta – have been designated as “variants of concern”, and are considered a bigger threat. "