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But how did one new strain suddenly amass 17 previously unseen mutations? Normally we should have sampled a number of strains with fewer of the same mutations,
by skinkestek 6y ago
But how did one new strain suddenly amass 17 previously unseen mutations?
Normally we should have sampled a number of strains with fewer of the same mutations, shouldn't we?
- jng 6y agoNot an expert here, but there probably are many other strains out there with fewer mutations (and some with more). Most of them residual because they don't provide a clear advantage. The reason we know about this 17-mutation one is that this specific one turned out to have such an advantageous infectivity that it's displacing all other strains and becoming the dominant one.
- skinkestek 6y agoThanks. That would make sense, if it was the 17th mutation that (possibly together with the rest of the mutations) gave it this advantage.
- mschuster91 6y agoThe problem is most countries don't sample - they put people through a PCR test and then send them off their way. The UK also does somewhat-regular genetic sequencing of positive tests, precisely to spot new mutations.