•STUDY: Researchers in Mexico are trying to determine if four new coronavirus cases in the western state of Jalisco can be tracked to variants first discovered in Brazil and South Africa -involving the E484K mutation- or whether they are linked to a potential new variant.
•MUTATIONS: According to scientists at the University of Guadalajara, the analysis of four recent coronavirus cases in Jalisco detected the E484K mutation and will now proceed to more in depth studies, including genome sequencing, to determine whether additional mutations are present.
•TIME: “When we talk about a new variant we have to identify it (first) to see what is its epidemiological weight. That will take time”, said Ruy López Ridaura, director of Mexico’s National Center for Disease Control and Prevention Programs, when asked about the reports.
•NUMBERS: As of late Sunday, Mexico has officially reported 1 million 864,260 coronavirus cases and 158,536 coronavirus deaths. After recently surpassing India, Mexico is now the third country in the world with the most coronavirus deaths in absolute terms.
