Viruses become more transmissible and less-lethal after mutation.

Sometimes, the mutation might make changes in the characteristics of the virus, including transmissibility and severity, but not every time.

Mutations are a common phenomenon that occurs naturally in all viruses. The replication of a virus or making copies of the virus is called a mutation. The resultant virus would be known as a variant of the original virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) detailed that mutations would occur when the virus infects a host (either an animal or person). However, it added that as some of the mutations do not affect the major proteins involved in infection, not all mutations would make changes to the transmissibility of the virus.

World Health Organization's (WHO) Q&A regarding 'COVID-19 the Virus Evolution' pointed out that some of the virus's mutations would affect its characteristics. After the mutation, the transmission capability might increase or decrease, and the severity of the virus becomes either more or less than the original virus.

Similarly, an article by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) on February 18, 2020, clarified the severity of a virus could be reduced or increased via the mutation.

Hence, according to the evidence, we cannot say that all the mutations that occur in a virus would change its transmission ability and severity of the infection.

Reference links

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

neutral

World Health Organization

neutral

PubMed Central (PMC)

neutral

Have a question or correction?

Please tell us if you think this claim had been misjudged or requires correction by sending us evidence to support your error claim. We will revisit our evidence and verdict and do some additional research to double check if we can verify the new information

Fact Check of the Day

false

Plan B drugs can cause abortion or miscarriage.