According to reports, the “Mu” coronavirus variant which was first discovered in Columbia has spread to 49 states in the United States.

Nebraska is the only state which hasn’t detected the virus, reports say. The new virus variant is reportedly more transmissible than the Delta variant which has currently ravaged several parts of the world including the United States.

The World Health Organization(WHO) had classified “Mu” as the “variant of interest”.

“The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape,” the WHO had said. “Mu” is known scientifically as B.1.621. The world health body had earlier identified four “variants of concern” including Alpha and Delta.

The WHO is closely monitoring the “MU” variant which has reportedly spread to South American countries including Europe. In the US, California has reported the highest number of cases of the “MU” variant with 384 cases.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t made any classification similar to the WHO even as Dr. Anthony Fauci said health officials were keeping a “close eye” on the new variant in the United States.

The United States had reportedly witnessed a peak in MU COVID-19 cases in mid-July.

In Columbia where the virus originated authorities had reported a number of “Mu” related cases amid low vaccination rates in the country. The virus has claimed 125,000 lives in Columbia as the country battles the new virus variant.