GP was pointing out that this was incorrect, and you just made that point by stating it yourself.
Assuming you are intending to engage in the conversation and not be a pedant, I might let you know that your replies are coming across quite coarsely. More specifically, as to prefaces on earlier comments, there is no need to excuse incivility, because there is no need for incivility here.
I found the exchange to be more than civil, with pleasantries not being taken in the literal sense.
At least this did not fall into the category of "Cold regurgitation of data" (quite popular it seems) and had a level of warmth that was an indication of passion, more than anger (from all parties).
If they added a temperature social cue to HN comments..... That would be funny.
Genera -- as in SARS-CoV-2's genus is Betacoronovirus -- don't have "strains."
Only families -- such as the SARSr-CoV family -- have strains.