New COVID-19 variant ‘Lambda’ identified in 29 countries : says who.

The World Health Organisation informed on June 16, 2021 that a new variant of COVID-19, Lambda, has been identified in 29 countries, notably in South America where it is believed to have originated. 

As per WHO, first identified in Peru, the Lambda lineage was classified as a global variant of interest on June 14 of an ‘elevated presence’ in South American. 

The variant was also reported in countries like Chile, where it accounts for 32% of all submitted sequences in the preceding 60 days. 

The Lambda variant was also reported in neighbouring countries in South America, such as Argentina and Ecuador. WHO suspects mutations present in the Lambda Covid-19 Variant might show increased transmission and resistance to antibodies.