New 'Double Mutant Variant' Of Coronavirus Found In India, Union Health Ministry Reveals Details

Such mutations can cause immune escape and increased infectivity. They do not match any previously cataloged VOCs, the ministry reported.

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New Delhi: Union Health Ministry on Wednesday informed that a new “double mutant variant” of SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in India besides several “variants of concern” that have already spread in at least 18 states.

Genome sequencing by Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) has spotted variants of concerns (VOCs) in various states and a new double mutant variant has also been identified.

Meanwhile, whether these variants were behind the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in some states is yet to be sufficiently established.

The situation is being continuously analysed through Genomic sequencing and epidemiological studies.

INSACOG was established on December 25 wherein 10 national laboratories were grouped for carrying out genomic sequencing and analysis of circulating Covid-19 viruses, and correlating epidemiological trends with genomic variants.

“Since INSACOG initiated its work, 771 variants of concerns (VOCs) have been detected in a total of 10,787 positive samples shared by states and UTs (union territories),” the ministry said.

“These include 736 samples positive for viruses of the UK (B.1.1.7) lineage. Also, 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,” it added.

As informed by the Health Ministry, the analysis of samples from Maharashtra has revealed that there has been an increase in the fraction of samples with the E484Q and L452R mutations as compared to December 2020.

Such mutations can cause immune escape and increased infectivity. These mutations have been found in about 15-20 percent of samples and do not match any previously cataloged VOCs, the ministry reported.

“These have been categorized as VOCs but require the same epidemiological and public health response of increased testing, comprehensive tracking of close contacts, prompt isolation of positive cases and contacts as well as treatment as per National Treatment Protocol by the states and UTs,” the ministry stated.

2032 samples have been sequenced from Kerala (from all 14 districts). The N440K variant which has been connected with immune escape was detected in 123 samples from 11 districts.

The variant was previously spotted in 33 percent of samples from Andhra Pradesh, and in 53 of 104 samples from Telangana. It has also been reported from 16 other countries, including the UK, Denmark, Singapore, Japan and Australia.

“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,” the ministry stated.