Delhi: Two new variants of novel coronavirus, other than the Brazilian, UK and South African are detected in at least three Indian states, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday confirmed.
The variants, AN440K and E484Q have been detected in a few districts of Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana. The ministry's confirmation came after Maharashtra and Kerala witnessing a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases and both states accounting for more than 75 per cent of overall active caseload of India.
Dr VK Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog and head, National Task Force on COVID-19, said, “The genome sequencing of positive patients has confirmed two variants which are detected in a larger number other than the one dominating in the country. They are found circulating in Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana.”
He also stated that there is no causal link between them and the outbreak in the two states have been established so far. "This is a work in progress," he said, adding that the transmissibility and tendency to cause a more severe disease, thereby leading to an increase in deaths, by these variants is being studied.
"So far, the variants cannot be attributed to the uptick of the infection a few states have been witnessing in the country. There is no current evidence for us to believe that these are responsible for upsurge of the outbreak in some of the districts of Maharashtra and Kerala despite being found there," Paul added.
Indian Council for Medical Research Director General, Dr Balram Bhargava, also clarified that these two virus strains have been detected in other countries as well and are not specific to India. Meanwhile, Paul assured that the Centre is constantly monitoring the behaviour of the mutations in India and all over the world too.
(With inputs from IANS)
