‘B.1.617 Variant Drove Surge In Covid Cases In Last 2 Months'

India records 1.32 lakh new cases, 2,713 fresh fatalities

NEW DELHI: The surge of COVID-19 cases in the country in the last two months shows a correlation with the rise in B.1.617 variant of the SARS-CoV-2, according to INSACOG, a grouping of 10 national laboratories.

April and May witnessed a deadly second wave of Coronavirus cases that swept through the country, stretching the healthcare infrastructure to its limits.

According to INSACOG, the B.1.1.7 lineage of the virus, which was first identified in the United Kingdom is declining in proportion across India in the last one and half months. The B.1.1.7 variant of the Coronavirus has been named ‘Alpha’.

The B.1.617 lineage of SARS CoV-2 was first reported from Maharashtra but it is now seen in other states such as West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Telangana.

“The current surge in cases seen over the last two months in some states shows a correlation with the rise in the B.1.617 lineage of SARS CoV2,” the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) said.

The B.1.617 lineage has further evolved into three sublineages -- B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3. Early data shows B.1.617.2, dubbed Delta by the WHO, has higher transmission advantages over the other two sub-lineages.

B.1.617, initially termed a double mutant, has three new spike protein mutations. Two mutations — E484Q and L452R — are in the area important for antibody-based neutralisation.

The third mutation — P681R in B.1.617 — along with the reversion of E484Q allows its sub-lineage to be more infectious.