European University of Lefke (EUL) Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Faculty Member Medical Microbiologist Asst. Prof. Dr. Yağmur Ekenoğlu Merdan evaluated the current developments regarding Covid-19.

Stating that many researches related to COVID-19 infection, which first appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, Merdan said, “The epidemic continues. “While the people are trying to change their lives to live with COVID-19 with the motto of” controlled social life “, the factor of the disease, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is changing as a result of mutations.” “While these genetic changes caused by mutations sometimes do not cause changes in the characteristics of the virus, sometimes these changes can cause changes in the properties of the virus.”Merdan pointed out that these changes can cause the virus to lose power or gain power in the epidemic.

Mutation that Increases Corona Virus Infection Discovered

“In a study published in Cell magazine, mutations that occur in the protein, which plays a role in the entry of SARS-CoV-2 virus into the cell called Spike, and which are studied as targets in many vaccine and drug studies were investigated. The mutation called D614G in the spike protein changes the existing D614 variant into the G614 variant. In the study, while D614 was predominant in the world, it was reported that G614 variant spread over the world and turned into a dominant pandemic form in the last month. Especially in Europe, the G614 variant has been found to be more contagious, ”said Merdan, suggesting that the research results suggest that the G614 variant is more contagious, but fortunately, the G614 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is around 70%, and stated that this variant is thought to cause a milder infection.

Merdan: mutations can benefit the virus or humans

“As we know, mutations can benefit the virus or people,” said Merdan. In order to consider that it is a positive mutation, the new G614 variant must have turned into a more contagious but less lethal form. If this epidemic will end with the mutation of the virus, as some researchers suggest; “It should turn into either a more contagious form that kills less, or a form that affects more young people.”    “Community immunity is unlikely to occur any time soon, even if the virus mutates as we hoped. Again, the most important factor is to be protected against COVID-19 infection until a specific drug or vaccine is developed. Merdan said, “We should continue to protect ourselves both for our own health and for the health of others. She continued her speech as; Asymptomatic with increased body resistance under the influence of hot and sun in summer; that is, the number of cases may be detected lower than the actual number of cases present in the community, since COVID-19 patients without symptoms are increasing and cannot be determined because they do not apply to the hospital. The epidemic measures implemented and the decrease in the number of deaths are also due to the better understanding of the infection day by day and its better treatment.

Merdan, “As a result, the outbreak is not over, the virus is still among us. We should pay more attention to the use of masks, social distance and cleanliness, especially hand hygiene, than usual, as the recklessness will cause the virus to increase even more in these days when their opening begins.