New variants increase severity of COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 20 (ACN) In the midst of an epidemiological context marked by the circulation of new strains in the country, there is evidence of an increase in the severity of COVID-19 in infected patients.

This was detailed by Narciso Argelio Jimenez Perez, assistant professor at the Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK), during his television appearance on the radio-television program Mesa Redonda, who also stressed the high level of spread of the Delta variant (isolated for the first time in India), whose presence is becoming more and more noticeable throughout the nation.

According to the specialist in Second Degree in Internal and Intensive Care Medicine, the clinical repercussion of these mutations of the novel coronavirus is related to its high incidence in the world and, as more people are infected, the numbers of severity and mortality increase.
Jimenez Perez also explained that the population is the incubator of this virus, so no country will be safe until it achieves global vaccination coverage levels.

The circulation of new strains leads to a decrease in the efficacy of vaccines, a loss of effective action of monoclonal antibodies and a possible re-infection in patients convalescing from the disease, the Master in Infectious Diseases noted.

In a short time, the Indian variant (B.1.617.2) has imposed itself over the one from the United Kingdom (B 1.1.7) due to its high generation mechanisms and high levels of replication, the expert assured.

Jimenez Perez also pointed out that Delta is more easily transmitted due to the mutations that help it mate with the cells of the human organism and, therefore, it evades the innate response of class 1 interferon.

Regarding the clinical manifestations, he said that these can be prolonged after four weeks in patients, and warned that if symptoms such as fever are prolonged over time, it is necessary to act to avoid serious complications.

In view of the complex epidemiological scenario that is affecting the whole world, the specialist emphasized the need to comply with the preventive measures recommended by the health authorities in order to avoid contagion.