RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Studies by the Bolivian National Institute of Health Laboratories (INLASA) detected the presence of the Mu variant of the novel coronavirus, first identified in Colombia, in 12% of the country’s cases, the Bolivian Health Ministry said in a press release on Tuesday.
Minister of Health and Sports Jeyson Auza added that “at the peak of the pandemic” the Brazilian P1 variant was identified in 53% of the Pando, Beni, Oruro, La Paz, Cochabamba and Potosi departments and the Lambda variant in 18% of Oruro and Potosi.
Auza explained that the presence of the Mu variant is classified as “of interest” and not “of concern” for now, as it is not associated with severe infection.
By Monday, the Ministry of Health confirmed 493,115 Covid-19 cases and 18,514 deaths related to the disease.