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‘Double mutant’ variant detected in India amid spike in COVID-19 cases

India has detected a novel ‘double mutant’ variant of COVID-19 but experts say it is too early to attribute this to a surge in cases.

kenya b.1.617 variant Vaccine AstraZeneca Variant South Africa

Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

A new and possibly dangerous “double mutant” variant of coronavirus, along with other Variants of Concern (VOCs), including the B.1.1.7, B.1.351 and P1 lineages first detected in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, respectively, have been detected in India.

COVID-19 ON THE RISE IN INDIA, 47 000 NEW CASES ADDED IN 24 HOURS

India recorded 47 000 new infections within a 24-hour period, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Wednesday. This also led to 275 deaths, the highest one-day death toll the Asian country has experienced in more than four months.

This is a real blow because since September, the number of COVID-19 cases was dropping and life was gradually returning to normal. The spike in cases began sometime in February 2021.

As you are aware, the coronavirus has mutated throughout the pandemic and while most mutations are inconsequential, some of them are capable of making the virus spread more easily or making people sicker. These variants have been dubbed “variants of concern” and are the subject of increased scientific attention.

‘VARIANTS OF CONCERN’ AND ‘DOUBLE MUTANT’ VARIANT DETECTED IN INDIA

Since 25 December 2020, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG), a cohort of 10 laboratories established by the government to carry out genomic sequencing and analysis of the COVID-19 viruses currently circulating, has detected 771 variants of concern in the country, out of a total of 10 787 positive samples.

“These include 736 samples positive for viruses of the UK (B.1.1.7) lineage. 34 samples were found positive for viruses of the South African (B.1.351) lineage. One sample was found positive for viruses of the Brazilian (P.1) lineage. The samples with these VOCs have been identified in 18 States of the country,” said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The new “double mutant” variant differs from other VOCs, as it has two mutations (EQ484Q and L452R) in the spiky protein the coronavirus uses to fasten itself to cells. Dr Rakesh Mishra, the director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, one of the 10 INSACOG labs, told AP that these mutations could be a concern, as they might help the virus spread more easily and escape the immune system.

According to the ministry, the mutations have been identified in approximately 15% to 20% of samples from the state of Maharashtra, which is the second-most populous state in India. The “double mutant” variant has also been classified as VOCs.

“Though VOCs and a new double mutant variant have been found in India, these have not been detected in numbers sufficient to either establish or direct relationship or explain the rapid increase in cases in some States,” concluded the ministry.

The ministry urged caution and said that genomic sequencing and epidemiological studies are continuing to further analyse the situation.