The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread globally, with new variants of concern continuing to emerge.
Scientists aim to closely monitor the spread of the virus and detect newly emerging variants that may undermine vaccines and therapies or increase viral transmissibility. Three variants of concern have been actively spreading over the last few months: the U.K. Variant, the South Africa Variant, and the Brazilian Variant.
