'Lethality of new Coronavirus strain is not yet confirmed'

The new strain of Coronavirus that originated in the United Kingdom has triggered apprehensions about a new wave of infections. Here's a quick update from Dr Raghavendra M K, Consultant Pulmonologist at the Manipal Hospitals in Jayanagar, Bengaluru on the new strain of the virus
 

How lethal is the new variant of Coronavirus in the UK?
 

The new virus strain is considered to be 70 more virulent but its lethality is not yet confirmed. It's a common characteristic of viruses to create new strains capable to spread faster than its parent virus.
 

For example, the common cold virus has a new strain every season. Researchers have observed that while mutating, a virus may also lose some of its lethality and the body's immune system stays better prepared to manage the new strain of an already invaded virus. However, it is quite early to comment on the fatality of the new Coronavirus strain.

How different is it from other strains of the virus?
 

The new Covid Virus genetically resembles the parent virus with slight modification. Moreover, there are only more number of patients reported, but is no significant rise in the severity of condition leading to hospitalization or death. Hence, scientists right now are less worried about this new strain.
 

Will normal vaccines that have been developed now, be effective against the new strain?
 

Researchers are hoping that the existing vaccine should work on the new strain as well. However, studies are underway to know more about the behaviour of this new Corona virus towards the vaccine.