A fast-spreading coronavirus variant first observed in the United Kingdom has gained a new mutation that could potentially make it harder to control with vaccines, Public Health England reported Monday. It is the latest evidence that the virus is undergoing a worrisome evolution worldwide.
The variant, known as B.1.1.7, first came to light in December. Researchers determined that it had rapidly become more common across the United Kingdom in just a couple of months.
Experiments in test tubes suggest that some of its mutations allow the coronavirus to hold onto cells more tightly.