B.1.617 is fast replacing N440K, including in Kerala, say scientists. (Representational)
New Delhi:
The B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus, also known as the double mutant, is fast replacing the N440K variant in south India, scientists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) said on Tuesday.
Former CCMB director Rakesh Mishra said the double mutant is now a dominant variant in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and now Telangana.
After an exhaustive analysis of 5,000 variants earlier this year, the CCMB had found that N440K is spreading a lot more in the southern states compared to the other variants.
One SARS-CoV-2 variant found in India has been dubbed the triple mutant variant.
Experts say the name is misleading, and it is not currently considered a variant of concern by the CDC.
The available COVID-19 vaccines still offer protection against this and other variants.
India s battle with a second wave of COVID-19 is making headlines with record-breaking daily cases and a rising death toll. The country recently surpassed more than 345,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, the biggest total recorded globally since the pandemic began.
It s a grim reminder that the pandemic is far from over, even as the U.S. hits promising vaccination milestones.