It has seen a mutation increasingly common in 3 continents
Expert: A mutation in "Corona" makes it more contagious, but less lethal
It is in the virus’s interest to infect more people, not kill them. EPA
A prominent infectious disease doctor said that the emerging corona virus has witnessed a mutation that is becoming more and more common in three continents (Europe, North America and parts of Asia), and that this mutation makes it more contagious, but less lethal.
Paul Tampia, a senior consultant at the National University of Singapore and president-elect of the International Society of Infectious Diseases, said that the evidence indicated that the spread of the D614G mutation in parts of the world coincided with a decrease in death rates, which suggests that this mutation is less lethal.
"Perhaps having a more contagious but less deadly virus would be a good thing," he added. He said that most viruses usually become less lethal as they mutate.
He continued: “It is in the virus’s interest to infect more people, not kill them, because the virus depends on the host for food and shelter.” This mutation has been detected in Singapore, but containment measures have prevented its spread significantly, said Sebastian Maurer-Stroh of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore.
The Director-General of the Malaysian Ministry of Health, Noor Hisham, said that the infection of the "D614G" strain that was detected in Malaysia is 10 times more than it was before the transformation, and that the vaccines currently being developed may not be effective.
• The virus depends on the host for food.