WHO declares India variant as global concern

  • The World Health Organisation on Monday classified a coronavirus variant first identified in India as a “global variant of concern”. 
  • This variant called B.1.617 was classified as a variant under investigation (VUI) by authorities in the UK earlier in May. 
  • It has already spread to more than 17 countries and several countries have put travel restrictions for passengers coming from India as a result of the surge in cases here. 
HOW DOES THE WHO DEFINE A VARIANT OF CONCERN? 
  • The WHO says that a variant of interest (VOI) becomes a variant of concern (VOC) if, through a comparative assessment, it has been demonstrated to be associated with increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation or a decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics.
  • Alternatively, a variant may be classified as a VOC by the WHO in consultation with the WHO SARS CoV-2 Virus Evolution Working Group.
HOW DO VARIANTS OF A VIRUS EMERGE AND WHY?
  • Variants of a virus have one or more mutations that differentiate it from the other variants that are in circulation. 
  • While most mutations are deleterious for the virus, some make it easier for the virus to survive.
  • Essentially, the goal of the virus is to reach a stage where it can cohabitate with humans because it needs a host to survive. 
  • This means, any virus is likely to become less severe as it keeps evolving, but in this process it can attain some mutations that may be able to escape the body’s immune response or become more transmissible.
  • The SARS-CoV-2 virus is evolving fast because of the scale at which it has infected people around the world. 
  • High levels of circulation mean it is easier for the virus to change as it is able to replicate faster.
INDIAN MUTANT
  • Medically, the mutant is identified as B.1.617 variant of SARS-CoV-2. 
  • The two mutations it carries are called E484Q and L452R. 
  • E484Q is similar to the British and South African variants. 
  • L452R is similar to the Californian variant.

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