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The meeting on the B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa will focus on what the new variant means for treatments and vaccines, the organization said Thursday. The WHO was expected to give the new variant a name on Friday.
WHO's technical COVID-19 lead Maria Van Kerkhove said in live Q&A briefing that a virus with many mutations impacts the nature of how it behaves.
UK Health Security agent Sajid Javid says much is still unknown about the new variant but that it may be more transmissible and vaccines may be less effective.
More than 30 mutations were detected by South African scientists in the spike protein, the part of the virus that binds to cells in the body, said Tulio de Oliveira during a press briefing Thursday by the South Africa Department of Health.
Taking swift and early action was imperative, he said.
A travel ban was recommended by the European Commission Friday.
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