Covid-19 Second Wave: Indian Variant Emerging From Parts Of Maharashtra Becomes Focus Of Global Research

Even the genome sequencing data submitted by Indian scientists to a global database also hinted that the so-called double mutation coronavirus found in Maharashtra may be becoming the most prevalent among all mutant variants in the country.

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As India is grappling with the second wave of coronavirus, global scientists are trying to dig deeper into the Covid variant B.1.617 found in the country which appears to be more infectious.

If you go by one of the theories, then the variant first emerged in Maharashtra’s Amravati led to a massive surge in nearby districts in February.

What are concerns around coronavirus Indian mutant?

The ‘Indian virus’ is supposed to be different from UK, Africa or Brazil variant, according to a Times of India report. With the ongoing research, Maharashtra’s Vidarbha has turned out to be a focal point of international researchers.

In fact, Nagpur has also remained on their radar in their study of the Indian variant.

READ: India Records Over 3 Lakh Cases Registering World's Highest Single Day Spike

The report quoted infectious disease specialist Dr Nitin Shinde saying the virus is different than the UK, or Africa or Brazil variant, which have been discussed at the onset of this wave. The doctor informed the surge in Amravati is believed to be because of this variant. However, research hasn’t concluded its findings based on this assumption.

A news report in News 18, quoted Dr Aparna Mukherjee, senior scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research, saying that the double mutant variant is the B.1.617 variant of SARS-CoV2. Apart from many others, the two important mutations happen to be E484Q and L425R, which can theoretically be responsible for increased transmissibility as well as probable immune escape.

However, she didn’t confirm if the double mutant is behind the second wave. “Double mutants were being identified even months before the surge started,” she noted.  

What are experts saying?

In order to curb the infection, countries like the UK and Hong Kong have already declared India under red-list, while the US advised its citizens to avoid visiting India even if they are completely vaccinated, in view of the new variant.

Scientists community and experts have also raised concern over the Indian variant which appears to be more infectious. Dr. Atul Gawande of US President Joe Biden’s Covid-19 control advisory team called it “extremely frightening”.

Even the genome sequencing data submitted by Indian scientists to a global database also hinted that the so-called double mutation coronavirus found in Maharashtra may be becoming the most prevalent among all mutant variants in the country.

As per the Hindustan Times report, B.1.617, came across as the most common in the samples sequenced in the 60 days prior to April 2 at 24 percent. The variant was initially detected on October 5 and was remained relatively obscure until it started showing an increasing number of samples from January onwards, the report in outbreak.info said.

On April 1, the mutant accounted for 80 percent of all analyzed genome sequences of mutant variants sent by India to the global repository GISAID. However, the fatality of the variant is still unknown. Based on the virology researcher Grace Roberts of Queen’s University, Belfast findings, this variant is around 20 percent more transmissible than the earlier form.

The only silver lining is that an ICMR study has shown that Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN is effective against multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 and effectively neutralizes the double mutant of Covid-19 as well.