MOSCOW, October 22. / TASS /. Single samples of the new version of the coronavirus AY.4.2 were found in the Moscow region, Kamil Khafizov, head of the scientific group for the development of new methods for diagnosing human diseases at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor), told TASS on Friday.
“In the Moscow region, indeed (as yet isolated) samples of the new subline AY.4.2 of the delta strain have been identified. This variant is distinguished by several substitutions, including two key mutations in the spike protein gene – Y145H and A222V,” he said.
Khafizov noted that those who were vaccinated are protected from this strain as well as from the original variant of the “delta”.
Variant AY.4.2 was discovered in the UK. According to British scientists, it is one of 45 subspecies of the delta strain. At the Institute of Genetics at University College London, François Ballou suggested that the new strain could spread 10-15% faster than the previous version of the “delta”.
On October 21, Khafizov announced the discovery of single samples of the strain in Russia. Apart from the UK and Russia, AY.4.2 has also been spotted in the US and Israel, the expert said.
