WHO Says New COVID-19 Variant 'Lambda' Detected In Over 30 Countries

GENEVA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2021) The World Health Organization (WHO) has detected the spread of the Lambda strain of the coronavirus in more than 30 countries, chiefly in the Americas, the organization's COVID-19 technical lead, Maria van Kerkhove, said on Monday.

"It [the Lambda variant] was classified a variant of interest in mid-June, it was first reported from Peru in December 2020, so it is a relatively young variant," van Kerkhove told a briefing, adding that the new strain "is circulating in a number of countries, primarily in the Americas, although it has been detected in more than 30 countries so far."

In most countries, however, the Alpha and Delta variants still remain prevalent, she added.

The WHO is tracking the Lambda variant alongside other strains of interest at a global level in cooperation with member states to learn more about its transmissibility.