NEW DELHI: The Government of India on Wednesday clarified that media reports about the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifying B.1.617 as the “Indian COVID-19 variant of global concern” is totally unfounded and with none foundation.
“Several media reports have covered the news of WHO classifying B.1.617 as a variant of global concern. Some of these reports have termed the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus as an “Indian Variant”. These media reports are with none foundation, and unfounded,” the federal government mentioned in an announcement.
Several media reports have coated the information of WHO classifying B.1.617 as variant of world concern. Some of these reports have termed the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus as an “Indian Variant”. These media reports are with none foundation, and unfounded: Govt of India
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2021
It additional clarified that “the WHO has not associated the term “Indian Variant” with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in its 32 web page doc. In truth, the phrase “Indian” has not been utilized in its report on the matter.”
The clarification from the Centre got here within the wake of media reports about the WHO classifying B.1.617 as Indian COVID variant of world concern is unfounded: Centre
It was reported that the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus first recognized in India final yr has been present in 44 international locations, citing a report by World Health Organization.
The UN physique routinely assesses if variants of SARS-CoV-2 end in adjustments in transmissibility and severity, or in the event that they result in adjustments in public well being and social measures’ implementation by nationwide well being authorities.
“As of May 11, over 4,500 sequences have been uploaded to GISAID and assigned to B.1.617 from 44 countries in all six WHO regions,” the worldwide well being physique mentioned in its newest weekly epidemiological replace printed on Tuesday.
GISAID is a world science initiative and first supply that gives open entry to genomic information of the novel coronavirus liable for the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO has additionally characterised the lineage B.1.617 as a variant of concern (VOC).
Variants of concern are these thought of extra harmful than the unique type of the virus first seen in China in late 2019.
That hazard stems from a variant’s increased transmissibility, lethality and resistance to vaccines, or both of them, it mentioned.
B.1.617 accommodates three sub-lineages, which differ by few however probably related mutations within the spike protein – this helps the virus enter the human cells, as nicely as the prevalence of detection globally, the UN well being company mentioned in its report.
At the current time, WHO has designated B.1.617 as a VOC based mostly on early proof of phenotypic impacts in comparison with different circulating virus variants, the company mentioned.
According to it, B.1.617 sub-lineages seem to have increased charges of transmission, together with noticed speedy will increase in prevalence in a number of international locations.
Viruses within the B.1.617 lineage had been first reported in India in October 2020. The resurgence in COVID-19 circumstances and deaths in India have raised questions on the potential function of B.1.617 and different variants such as B.1.1.7 in circulation.
A mutation means a change in a nucleic acid base or amino acid molecule, and a virus containing this alteration is termed a mutant. Mutations finally accumulate to generate variants that differ from the unique virus increasingly more, and so, a variant can have restricted and even cumulative mutations.
A latest danger evaluation of the state of affairs in India carried out by WHO discovered that resurgence and acceleration of COVID-19 transmission in India had a number of potential contributing components.
These embrace a rise within the proportion of circumstances of SARS-CoV-2 variants with probably elevated transmissibility, a number of spiritual and political mass gathering occasions which elevated social mixing, lowered adherence to public well being and social measures.
The precise contributions of every of these components on elevated transmission in India will not be nicely understood. Approximately 0.1 per cent of constructive samples in India have been sequenced and uploaded to GISAID to determine SARS-CoV-2 variants.
The prevalence of a number of VOCs, together with the B.1.1.7 and B.1.612 sub-lineages, elevated concurrent to the surge in COVID-19 circumstances reported in India, in accordance with WHO.
“While B.1.1.7 and B.1.612.1 variants have begun to wane in recent weeks, a marked increase in the proportion of viruses sequenced as B.1.612.2 has been observed over the same period,” it mentioned.
A preliminary evaluation carried out by WHO utilizing sequences submitted to GISAID means that B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2 have a considerably increased development fee than different circulating variants in India, suggesting potential elevated transmissibility.
(With Agency inputs)
