What we know about the South African coronavirus variant

The SARS-CoV-2 virus variant that was first detected in South Africa has spread to dozens of countries.

As the coronavirus has spread around the world, it has constantly mutated, leading to the emergence of new strains. The variant of the SARS-Cov-2 virus first discovered in South Africa late last year is among those most concerning health experts. The South African variant, also known as B.1.351, was first discovered late last year. It has since been detected in dozens of countries around the world.