The Lambda variant, also known as lineage C.37, is a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. It was first detected in Peru in August 2020. On 14 June 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) named it Lambda variant and designated it as a variant of interest. Updated frequently. On 16 March 2022, the WHO has de-escalated the Lambda variant to "previously circulating variants of concern".
It has spread to at least 30 countries around the world and is known to be more resistant to neutralizing antibodies compared to other strains. There is evidence that suggests the Lambda variant is both more infectious and resistant to vaccines than the Alpha and/or Gamma variant.
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Mutations The Lambda genome has the following amino acid mutations, all of which are in the virus's spike protein code: G75V, T76I, Δ246-252, L452Q, F490S, D614G and T859N.
History First samples of the Lambda variant were detected in Peru in August 2020 and by April 2021, over eighty percent of new cases of COVID-19 in Peru were from the new variant. In mid-June 2021, 90.6% of new COVID-19 cases in Arequipa and 78.1% of new cases in Cusco were the Lambda variant, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Health. By this time the Lambda variant had also spread throughout South America and was detected in twenty-nine countries in total, especially in Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. The WHO designated the Lambda variant as a "variant of interest" on 14 June 2021.
On 6 July 2021, Australia reported its first case of the Lambda variant in an overseas traveler who had been in a New South Wales quarantine hotel in April.
On 19 July 2021, Texas reported its first case of the Lambda variant. On 22 July 2021, Florida reported 126 cumulative confirmed cases of the Lambda variant. On 28 July 2021, University of Miami researchers announced random sampling showed 3 percent of COVID-19 patients in Jackson Memorial Health System and at University of Miami's UHealth Tower were infected with it. On 5 August 2021, Louisiana reported its first case of the Lambda variant.
On 7 August 2021, Japan confirmed its first case of the Lambda variant, with the infected person arriving in Japan from Peru on 20 July.
On 15 August 2021, the Philippines confirmed its first case of the Lambda variant.
Statistics + Cases by country (Updated as of 23 August 2021) GISAIDCountryConfirmed casesCollection date1,48913 July 20211,48015 June 20218485 August 202119420 July 202118914 July 20211247 July 202111124 June 20218713 July 20215619 July 20215129 June 2021259 May 2021825 July 20212621 June 2021311 July 2021106 June 2021223 July 2021810 July 20211226 June 2021721 June 2021612 April 2021111 August 2021115 July 2021314 July 2021110 June 2021313 April 2021230 April 202122 June 202112 June 2021115 April 202113 April 2021119 May 202117 July 202111 April 2021121 March 2021131 May 202118 February 2021120 March 202117 August 2021115 August 202125 May 2021115 July 2021330 April 202113 July 2021420 July 2021World (44 countries)Total: 4,763Total as of 23 August 2021
See also
Variants of SARS-CoV-2: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Mu, Omicron
References