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Coronavirus

‘Double Mutant’ COVID-19 Variant Strain Found in India

A new and highly infectious strain of coronavirus that may render vaccines less effective has been detected in India, the health ministry said on Wednesday, complicating the country’s battle to contain the second wave of infections.

This strain has two mutations and can cause sickness in spite of the immunity developed by natural infection or vaccines. It is in addition to the UK, South African, and Brazilian variants already circulating in 18 states of India.

The discovery of the faster-spreading strain, which comes exactly a year after the 24 March lockdown clamped to halt the pandemic, may force the government to put restrictions on public gatherings and add to the pressure on India’s health infrastructure.

“The analysis of samples from Maharashtra has revealed that compared to December 2020, there has been an increase in the fraction of samples with the E484Q and L452R mutations. Such mutations confer immune escape and increased infectivity,” the health ministry said.

Read the source article at Livemint

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