Scientists in Chile are investigating a possible mutation of the novel coronavirus in southern Patagonia, a far-flung region near the tip of South America that has seen an unusually contagious second wave of infections in recent weeks.
Questions have arisen as the remote region of Magallanes, which accounts for only 1 percent of the country’s population, reported nearly 20 percent of Chile’s total cases so far, suggesting a potential mutation of the novel virus.
While such mutations have already been observed in other places, researchers have yet to understand what their effect on humans is.
“Earlier this week, the number of people testing positive in Magallanes was the same as here in the capital, except that Magallanes has the lowest population density in the country, 170,000 versus eight million in Santiago,” said Al Jazeera’s Lucia Newman, reporting from the Chilean capital, Santiago.
“Experts say there could be many reasons, including the weather, but they can’t rule out that the new strand of the virus is mainly to blame.”
Studies outside Chile have also indicated the coronavirus can evolve as it adapts to its human hosts.
Al Jazeera’s Lucia Newman reports.
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