Triple mutation strain detected in 4 states, major cause for concern
Scientists say it was detected long ago; new variant has higher transmission rate
India is currently in throes of a ferocious second COVID wave, overtaking Brazil to become the second-most affected country in the world. Even as the second wave is wreaking havoc in India, a third mutation in this B.1.617 strain has now been identified in at least 4 states, spiralling as a major cause for concern.
Two of these triple-mutant varieties have been found in samples collected from Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, and this might aggravate India’s COVID crisis further.
According to a report, sources said the Health Ministry was last week briefed about the possibility of a double mutant variant developing another significant mutation and becoming a ‘triple-mutant.’ The report further said that West Bengal seems to be becoming the hotspot for such mutations and the new triple mutant could make the virus even more capable of evading human immune response. “It (the double mutant) was detected way back. It was found again in November and December. By February, this variant is exploding, almost coinciding with the surge in Maharashtra. The discovery should have been acted upon immediately. But nothing happened. Now we are fire-fighting,” a scientist said on conditions of anonymity.
A few other scientists believe the new surges globally are driven by new variants. “This is a more transmissible variant. It is making lots of people sick very quickly,” said Madhukar Pai, professor of epidemiology at McGill University. “We have to keep tweaking vaccines. For that we need to understand the disease. But we need sequencing on war footing,” Dr Pai added.
Two of the three variants in the triple mutation have been seen to have immune escape responses, meaning they are more resistant to antibodies. Not much more is known yet on the effectiveness of vaccines.
Study shows Covaxin neutralises against multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 and effectively neutralises the double mutant strain as well
ICMR tweet
No information yet about the vaccine’s effectiveness against Covid variants and data is expected in a week. The government has to ask for a vaccine specific to the new double mutant that is pushing the current surge of virus cases
Krishna Ella, Bharat Biotech chairperson