Wondfo Biotech develops test kit for new virus variant

Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech Co Ltd, headquartered in Guangzhou Science City, has developed a detection kit for a new strain of COVID-19 known as B.1.1.7.

The detection kit can supplement polymerase chain reaction platforms to identify the B.1.1.7 strain based on major mutations in S gene: N501Y and HV 69-70del.

The new B.1.1.7 strain was originally discovered in the United Kingdom. Experts from South China's Guangdong province found the B.1.1.7 mutation in an imported confirmed case on Jan 2.

The mutated virus is more infectious, but the symptoms are not more serious and the death rate is not higher than that of current COVID-19 patients.

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