A new Covid variant is being monitored by the World Health Organisation

The Mu variant has been designated a Variant of Interest (Photo: Getty Images)

A new Covid-19 strain is being monitored by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and has been designated a Variant of Interest (VOI).

The variant, named Mu, or B.1.621, was first identified in Colombia earlier this year and cases have since been recorded in both South America and in Europe.

What is known about the variant?

The WHO’s weekly bulletin on the pandemic explained that the variant has mutations which could make it more resistant to vaccines.

This was also the case with the Beta variant, first discovered in South Africa, but the WHO has said more studies will be needed to examine this new strain further.

The bulletin said: “Since its first identification in Colombia in January 2021, there have been a few sporadic reports of cases of the Mu variant and some larger outbreaks have been reported from other countries in South America and in Europe.

“Although the global prevalence of the Mu variant among sequenced cases has declined and is currently below 0.1 per cent, the prevalence in Colombia (39 per cent) and Ecuador (13 per cent) has consistently increased.