UK’s new strain of COVID-19

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• India and several other countries have suspended their flights from the United Kingdom due to the concerns about the new variant of COVID-19 that is spreading rapidly in the country.

• A mutant of COVID-19 has been the reason for the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in East and South England. The new variety is being referred to as Variant Under Investigation (VUI).

• The new variant is the result of multiple mutations in the spike protein of COVID-19. According to the preliminary analysis, the mutant is more transmissible than the previously circulating variant. 

• The COG-UK had identified these mutations as “N501Y”. It is an area of spike protein where the virus binds to the human cell.