ALBAWABA - Israel recorded the first infection in the world with the new COVID-19 variant BA2.86." The new COVID-19 variant contains more than 36 mutations, Israeli media reported on Sunday.
Israel Broadcasting Corporation confirmed that the first mutant BA2.86 infection was recorded at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. However, the identity of the infected person or the source of the infection was not revealed.
The head laboratory department at the hospital said: "This is the first case in the world with this COVID-19 variant, after which cases were also detected in Denmark, England, as well as the United States, and the number of mutations may be an indicator that it may outrun the vaccine's capability."
The new COVID-19 variant "BA2.86" has a large number of mutations which is considered a concern for the World Health Organization (WHO) expert who decided to classify the new mutant "under surveillance".
