Researchers say that a highly infectious variant of the new coronavirus is 30 percent to 100 percent more deadly than earlier strong variants. The variant was first found in Britain late last year and has since spread around the world. The new study compared death rates among people in Britain infected with the new variant to those infected with other versions of the virus. Scientists said that the new variant’s death rate was “significantly higher.” The variant is known as B.1.1.7. The B.1.1.7 was first found in Britain in September 2020. It has since been found in more than 100 other countries. It has 23 mutations in its genetic material and some of those changes make it spread more easily. Scientists say it is about 40 to 70 percent more infectious than earlier strong variants.
