New super-mutant strain of HIV found in the Netherlands

A new super-mutant HIV (https://bit.ly/3sj6U6D) strain that makes
infected individuals ill twice as fast as current versions of the virus
has been detected in the Netherlands. The new mutant — called the
VB variant — has infected at least 109 people, according to a study
by Oxford University.
The strain damages the immune system and weakens a person's ability
to fight everyday infections and disease faster than previous versions
of the virus.
It means those who catch this strain could develop AIDS more quickly.
The VB variant also has a viral load between 3.5 and 5.5 times higher
than the current strain, meaning infected people are more likely to
transmit the virus to others.
However, after starting treatment, those with the variant have
a similar immune system recovery and survival rate to those infected
with other HIV strains.
But the researchers warned the rapid health decline after catching
VB means early detection and treatment is 'critical'.
Britons are advised to get tested for HIV and other STIs at least one
a year, while men who have sex with men are advised to get tested
every three months.
More than 100,000 Britons and 1million Americans are thought to
be living with HIV. 
Independent experts have said the finding is nothing to panic about.
The analysis found VB arose in the 1980s and has been declining since
2010.
The team, which collects HIV samples from across Europe and Uganda,
detected 17 cases of the new strain. Just like Covid, HIV mutates very
quickly but the vast majority of these changes make no difference
to the nature of the virus.
Two of the cases were in Switzerland and Belgium, while 15 
variant samples were taken from individuals in the Netherlands.
The team examined positive samples from more than 6,700 people
in the country to find out how widespread it ix.
This process identified a further 92 people with the variant, from
all regions of the Netherlands, bringing the total of confirmed cases
to 109. But the true number is likely to be higher.