Genome research identifies more dangerous COVID-19 variants - study

Genetic research identifies that the COVID-19 strain P.1 is associated with higher mortality rates.

This undated transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus parti (photo credit: NIAID-RML/FILE PHOTO/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
This undated transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, also known as novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus parti
(photo credit: NIAID-RML/FILE PHOTO/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
The COVID-19 virus will become more dangerous as it mutates into new variants, a new study published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Genetic Epidemiology last week showed. 
 
The study analyzed 7,548 genomes of COVID-19 patients around the world. Some 29,891 locations in the viral genome were assessed for correlations between variants and mortality rates. 
 
The analysis identified a locus, or a specific area where a genetic chromosome is marked, in viral COVID-19 genomes from Brazil that were associated with higher mortality rates. 
 
Co-lead author of the study, Georg Hahn, instructor and research associate at Harvard University identified this locus as part of the P.1 strain from Brazil. The P.1 strain has been identified as more transmissible than the previous COVID-19 strains and was responsible for a surge of COVID-19 deaths in Manaus, Brazil. 
 
The methodology used in this study will likely be applicable in disease research beyond COVID-19. 
 
“We expect that this approach would work in similar scenarios involving other diseases, provided the quality of the data collected in public databases is sufficiently high,” said Hahn.