The mu variant of COVID-19 that had sent some scientists into worry over its potential to be vaccine-resistant and more transmissible than the delta variant has been wiped out of the U.S., according to new data.
The eradication of mu was first reported by the virus-tracking website outbreak.info, which said that the mu variant did not account for any new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S.
The mu variant made its way into nearly every state and peaked on June 19 when it made up for three percent of total U.S. cases of COVID-19.
The worrisome strain was first discovered in January in Columbia. It has since been found to also be in 40 other countries but still accounts for less than a percent of all confirmed cases, according to Newsweek.
Worldwide, there have been 8,857 cases of the mu variant as of Sept. 26.
The World Health Organization said that the mu variant was a Variant of Interest on Aug. 30, calling it a potential threat to public health if not brought under control. Its low case rate is the reason why it remains categorized as a VOI and not a Variant of Concern like the delta variant.
Though it was speculated to be vaccine resistant, a new study out of Japan shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine gives substantial protection against the mu.
Generally, COVID-19 cases have been declining signaling a potential end to the summer wave. As of the week of Sept. 15, the U.S. reported a daily average of 150,000 new cases.
