India announced a new variant of the coronavirus, the variant characterised by officials as a “double mutant,” has been in more than 200 samples in the hardest-hit western state of Maharashtra, which is home to India’s financial capital of Mumbai.
Health officials stated the new variant had not been detected in large enough numbers to connect it to the surge in cases in Maharashtra and other states including Kerala and Punjab.
Epidemiologists stated the term “double mutant” points to a completely new variant that has the characteristics of two already identified variants.
Virology laboratories in India and epidemiologists are examining whether this new variant is more virulent than the others and whether the vaccines employed to date are effective in immunizing against it.
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