Mutation is a threat to COVID-19 containment efforts - Merkel

BERLIN, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Germans should take a new variant of the coronavirus believed to spread much faster very seriously or else risk a third wave of infections, Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a news conference on Thursday.

"The mutation of the virus is a threat," said Merkel. "The mutation is much more infectious than we knew last year and this makes it more difficult to control the pandemic. I urge people to take this seriously. Otherwise it is difficult to prevent a third wave." (Reporting by Thomas Escritt and Riham Alkousaa; writing by Joseph Nasr; editing by Thomas Seythal)