22 Dec

The World Health Organization is analyzing a new variant of the coronavirus found to be spreading in the United Kingdom.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus spoke to reporters on Monday.

He said, "the UK reported the new variant transmits more easily, but there is no evidence so far that it's more likely to cause severe disease or mortality."

Maria Van Kerkhove, a WHO technical official in charge of the coronavirus response, said scientists are now looking at the body's antibody response to the virus.

The WHO's chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, said a number of mutations of the virus have been seen.

But Swaminathan said, "none has made a significant impact on either the susceptibility of the virus to any of the currently used therapeutics, drugs or the vaccines under development."

The WHO said the same variant has been so far confirmed in Australia, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark.

NHK