MUTATED MAHA VIRUS LINKED TO SURGE, PANIC IN STATE

Earlier in April, the National Institute of Virology, Pune, dropped a bombshell of sorts. It detected a Coronavirus variant with two mutations on its structure, something that made the SARS-CoV-2 virus, causing Covid-19, much more potent.

This virus variant was given a name, or rather a number, B.1.167, with scientists saying they found two mutations — E484Q and L452R — that were earlier found in the virus, but not together.

What made the B.1.167 variant of the virus different, was that both mutations were found together, making this version of the virus more infectious, and dangerous because it is believed that it is capable of evading antibodies that fight off a virus in a human body.

This mutated virus is believed to be behind Maharashtra’s surge in

Covid-19 cases, and could well be playing a similar role in Telangana too.

DC reported how this variant is confusing doctors in its report on April

13, ‘Virus mutations flummox doctors’.