"Dangerous mutant coronavirus strains may incubate in patients, such as
man sick with COVID-19 for 154 days

Among the 100 million people around the world who have battled
coronavirus infections, scientists are turning to the case of a
45-year-old COVID-19 patient in Boston to understand how the virus is
able to outwit humans.

During his 154-day illness €” one of the longest on record €” the
patients body became a crucible of riotous viral mutation. He offered
the world one of the first sightings of a key mutation in the virus
spike protein that set off alarm bells when it was later found in
strains in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.

In the U.K. strain, the genetic change known as N501Y is thought to help
enhance the virus transmissibility by about 50%. In the South Africa
strain, it may reduce the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and
treatments. Tests of its effect on the Brazil variant are still in progress.

The Boston patient is now being viewed as an important harbinger of the
coronavirus ability to spin off new and more dangerous versions of
itself. Although he died over the summer, the medical file he left
behind is helping experts anticipate the emergence of new strains by
focusing on the role of a growing population of patients with
compromised immune systems who battle the virus for months.... "


https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavir...outputType=amp