The World Health Organization revealed that the double mutant COVID-19 variant first detected in India has been found in at least 44 countries.
The UN health agency reported that the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19 had been detected in more than 4,500 samples coming from 44 countries or six WHO regions.
“And WHO has received reports of detections from five additional countries,” it said in a statement.
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Apart from India, Britain also has the most number of cases with the Indian variant.
The WHO declared B.1.617 also reclassified as a “variant of concern” or a global health threat.
The B.1.617, has been found in preliminary studies to spread more easily than the original virus. There is also some evidence that it may able to evade some of the protections provided by vaccines.
“And as such we are classifying this as a variant of concern at the global level,” the WHO said in a briefing.
“Even though there is increased transmissibility demonstrated by some preliminary studies, we need much more information about this virus variant in this lineage in all of the sub lineages, so we need more sequencing, targeted sequencing to be done,” it added.
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The WHO is currently monitoring 10 coronavirus variants in the world.
The Indian variant was previously labeled a “variant of interest” as more studies were needed to completely understand its significance.
“What it means for anybody at home is any of the SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating can infect you and spread and everything in that sense is of concern,” the WHO said.
“So, all of us at home, no matter where we live, no matter what virus is circulating, we need to make sure that we take all of the measures at hand to prevent ourselves from getting sick,” it added. (TDT)
