In the UK, doctors have noticed a significant change in the demographics of people receiving medical treatment for Covid-19. In critical care units, more young people and women with serious cases of Covid-19 began to come in. The virus so far has proved to hit older patients and men the hardest. The shift is puzzling to British public health officials as the new strain of the virus is analyzed and picked apart by scientists.
A prediction, according to scientists, is that the virus’s new genetic mutations allow it to invade a greater number of cells within the body, leading to serious sickness in people who would typically have mild to no symptoms. The new virus strain originally detected in Britain is more transmissible and more serious, according to medical professionals. The particular mutation has been identified as N501Y on the variant’s spike protein. This element has enabled it to enter and infect human cells more efficiently through the body.
Read More: U.K. Coronavirus Variant Probed for Increased Risk to Younger People
