SARS-CoV-2_Theta_variant
SARS-CoV-2 Theta variant
Variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus
Theta variant, also known as lineage P.3,[lower-alpha 1] is one of the variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The variant was first identified in the Philippines on February 18, 2021, when two mutations of concern were detected in Central Visayas.[1] It was detected in Japan on March 12, 2021, when a traveler from the Philippines arrived at Narita International Airport in Tokyo.[2]
It is distinct from those first discovered in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil, and is thought to pose a similar threat. The variant is more resistant to neutralizing antibodies, including those gained through vaccination, like how the South African and Brazilian variants appear to be.[3]
Under the simplified naming scheme proposed by the World Health Organization, P.3 has been labeled Theta variant, and was considered a variant of interest (VOI), but not a variant of concern.[4]
As of July 2021, Theta is no longer considered as a variant of interest by the WHO.[4]