The Brazilian mutant: worst Covid-19 variant

The Brazilian mutant Covid-19 is wreaking havoc in the city of Manaus. The mortality rate from is of 187 per 100 000 inhabitants, twice the national average for Brazil. The new variant of Covid-19, known as P.1, has the particularity of being able to neutralize the human immune system.

In Manaus, a city holding 2.2 million inhabitants, the first wave of Covid-19 (April 2020) was so intense that herd immunity to CoV-2-SARS was normally achieved. However, after some time, the citizens fell sick again and hospitals were once again overwhelmed by the number of incoming patients.

Faced with a virus that bypasses the immune system, scientists are already questioning the effectiveness of vaccines against P.1. While waiting for more details about the Brazilian mutant, some European countries have decided to close their borders to people arriving from Brazil.

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