Thread by @DrEricDing

Welp—“Vietnam has uncovered a new Covid-19 variant combining characteristics of the two existing variants first found in India🇮🇳(#B16172) & UK🇬🇧(#B117)” 🇻🇳 Health Minister said. “The new variant is very dangerous” and “spreads quickly by air”. #COVID19 🧵
straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/v…

2) here is the curve in Vietnam. It’s pretty sharp of an increase.

https://twitter.com/drzoehyde/status/1398583985840680961

3) A “hybrid”—
“The new one is an Indian variant with mutations that originally belong to the UK variant,” Mr Long was quoted as saying, adding that authorities would soon announce the name and detailed characteristics of the newly discovered variant.

4) The World Health Organisation has identified four variants of SARS-CoV-2 of global concern. These include variants that emerged first in India, in Britain, in South Africa & in Brazil.

This combines 2 of 4 worst. WHO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

5) Laboratory cultures of the new variant, which is much more transmissible than the previously known types, revealed that the virus replicated itself very quickly, Mr Long was quoted as saying.

6) He said that could explain why so many new cases had appeared in different parts of the country within a short period of time.

7) The two mutated strains first identified in Britain and India are currently the most common variants among the new Covid-19 cases in Vietnam in the ongoing infection wave.

➡️ They likely mixed via “recombination” when someone co infected with both variants.

8) Let’s check in on how UK is doing with #B16172 variant… not good— cases, hospitalizations, and deaths all increasing again.

https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1398357703429341193

9) “Recombination” is different than ordinary accumulation of mutations, which is error rate driven. But recombination is large scale “swapping” of genetic material between coronaviruses, which allows for bigger and faster changes— and variants to arise that is the worst of both

https://twitter.com/drzoehyde/status/1398583991452663808

10) Vietnamese article also describes a super-spreading at a factory—“air environment is [poor], crowded, there are nearly 1,000 infected people among 4,800 workers. The infectious ring (incubation?) of this strain of the virus is only 1-2 days”
vnexpress.net/viet-nam-xuat-…

11) The new wave in Vietnam 🇻🇳 started April 27… but it has grown both size (see post 2) and geography… now infecting many more provinces than before. This surge is very different somehow. Maybe it’s because of the new variant(s)

12) “Many of the recent infections were detected in two industrialized provinces in northern Vietnam, where factory employees often work in proximity. Plants there that manufacture for global brands as Apple have implemented social distancing measures”
google.com/amp/s/www.wash…

13) “Many countries that managed the pandemic with “non-pharmaceutical interventions are finding that more transmissible variants are more difficult to control with these measures,” “This is the biggest challenge that [Vietnam is] facing since covid-19 came onto the scene.”

14) Vietnam health minister adds: “The characteristic of this strain is that it spreads quickly in the air. The concentration of virus in the throat fluid increases rapidly and spreads very strongly to the surrounding environment.” ⚠️

google.com/amp/s/amp.theg…

15) “The new round of infections has made the public and government fearful and authorities quickly moved to place strict limits on movement & business activity. Cafes, restaurants, hair salons & massage parlours as well as tourism and religious spots have been ordered to close”