New variant of Covid-19 found in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has found the existence of the new coronavirus strain similar to "Lambda", which is a new variant of interest of Covid-19 found in Peru.

It was confirmed after genome sequencing by the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and Jahangirnagar University.

The genome sequencing report stated that the presence of the Lambda variant was found by sequencing a sample of a 49-year-old woman in Dhaka. 

The variant was detected among samples collected in March, the report added.

Meantime, the Lambda Covid-19 variant has now spread to as many as 29 countries, most notably in South America, where it is believed to have originated. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) dubbed the Lambda Covid-19 variant as a global 'variant of interest' due to its elevated presence in South America.

It was first detected in August last year, accounts for around 81% of the cases reported since April in Peru, according to WHO.