New Delhi: The experts said on Tuesday that the new strain of coronavirus detected in the United Kingdom (UK) in September is likely to have already reached India, reported Hindustan Times (HT).
The experts have called for increased genome-sequencing-based surveillance to find out the new strain and stop the mass spreading.
The new variant, VUI–202012/01, which accounted for nearly 60% of all cases in London by mid-December, is thought to be 70% more transmissible than earlier versions of the coronavirus.
This new variant VUI–202012/01 has sparked panic worldwide, which accounted for nearly 60 percent of all cases in London by mid-December. As per the experts, the new strain is believed to be 70% more infectious and transmissible. Meanwhile, Scientists are still researching the effects, virulence, and severity of the new mutant.
As a result, On Monday, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation state had temporarily banned all flights originating from the UK to India till 11:59 pm, 31st December. As per the ministry, “This suspension to start w.e.f. 11.59 pm, 22nd December. Consequently, flights from India to the UK shall stand temporarily suspended during the above said period.”
However, On Tuesday, 22 people including six from Delhi who landed in India from the UK have tested positive for the virus. Their samples were sent for genome sequencing.
Dr. Anurag Agarwal, director of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), one of the labs sequencing Sars-CoV-2 genomes said, “The possibility that it hasn’t arrived in India is low,” reported HT. He further explained that the new strain of the virus is more transmissible but the transmission could occur if people are not wearing masks.
HT quoted Dr. Shahid Jameel, virologist, and director of Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University saying, “The new variant may likely have already come to India, you will find it only if you are looking for it. This is the reason why we need to scale up the number of genomic sequencing that we are doing. India has the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world and some variants like it might likely have generated within the country too.”
Dr. VK Paul, NITI Aayog member, on Tuesday during government briefing said that India is going to utilize a network of laboratories under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Biotechnology, and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to sequence more samples of people landed from the UK and who are test positive.
He said, “Our labs have been asked to prioritise the recent virus samples and send them for genetic sequencing. The ICMR, CSIR, and DBT labs have been doing it so far but it will be scaled up. The positive specimen from passengers from the UK in the last few days will also be sequenced.”
However, experts have said that vaccines would remain effective despite the mutation.
Dr. Agarwal added, “The vaccine produces many antibodies and even if some do not bind, the vaccine remains effective. Other than that, there is T-cell immunity that is generic and a mutation in the binding site does not change that.”