The Virus that Entered Spain is not the Same as the One that Left Wuhan: What its Genome Reveals

Investigators have sequenced the ARN of the coronavirus that infected three people in Valencia in February. It shows that the SARS-CoV-2 has mutated since leaving China.

Spain has announced that it has just now obtained the first complete genomes of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that provokes COVID-19. They were extracted from some of the first patients that were infected with Coronavirus in Valencia. This is also where the first national and non-Asian death from this virus occurred, last February 13.

Just a month prior to this death, on January 14, China shared with the world the genome of this mysterious virus, which spent weeks circulating amongst its population.

Thanks to this, scientists from around the world could begin developing diagnostic tests which are now in function and advance in specific therapies which at the moment have still not arrived. Whilst this was all happening, the coronavirus was spreading globally, from cough to cough.

Two months after China shared the genome of the Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 virus, the University of Valencia had managed to extract the genome of our version of the virus which currently circulates amongst the Spanish population. We say our version because although it still contains the same coronavirus, in these weeks it has already had sufficient time to mutate and become distinguishable from the one originally discovered in Wuhan.

Written by

Laura Kemp

Originally from UK, Laura is based in Axarquia and is a writer for the Euro Weekly News covering news and features. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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