The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has confirmed it is analysing eight samples taken from patients who tested positive for coronavirus infections. The samples have been flagged for having ‘novel mutations’.
Eight samples from South African patients, containing SARS-CoV-2 viruses that have novel mutations, are currently being studied by the country’s genomic sequencing teams looking for new mutations or subvariants.
Professor Anna von Gottberg said they are analysing these eight sequences with other sequences globally, as well as monitoring whether similar sequences are detected in new specimens submitted to South Africa’s team of scientists looking for possible mutations of the virus.
“For now, these sequences are not from very recent specimens and the numbers are very small, so it is difficult to predict what will happen going forward,” Von Gottberg said.
The eight samples with novel mutations of the virus were first identified in the latest Genomic Surveillance Report, which was based on samples collected up to 22 July.
According to this report, the subvariants of Omicron are still most prevalent in samples from infected patients and were identified in 98% of the genomes analysed.
