NEW DELHI: A new highly infectious double-mutant Covid-19 variant first detected in India has been found in the UK and caused Boris Johnson to cancel his trip to India.
Variant B1617 was designated on Thursday as a “variant investigated” by Public Health England, meaning it has epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties and requires research. PHE said as of April 14 it had identified 77 cases of the Indian variant in Britain, 73 cases in England and four in Scotland.
Variants first detected in Kent in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa have since been designated as “variants of concern” in the United Kingdom. The Kent (UK) variant (also known as B117) remains the dominant variant in Britain.
PHE said: “The variant, first detected in India, includes several mutations, including E484Q, L452R and P681R.”
E484Q and L452R are found separately in other coronavirus variants, but were first found together in India.
“PHE has identified 77 cases of this variant in the UK and all appropriate public health interventions will be carried out, including improved contact tracking. PHE and its international partners continue to monitor the situation closely,” PHE said. .
E484Q and L452R are known to be more infectious, more transmissible, and prevent antibodies. It is likely that the India variant is at least partly driving the current exponential increase in cases in India that are putting pressure on India’s healthcare infrastructure.
Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent Sage, a group of independent scientists who provide scientific advice to the UK government, who is the director of the UCL Operations Research Unit, tweeted: “B1617 is worrying because it has some potentially worrying mutations not seen in Ceps SA, Kent or Brazil. This variant can escape both the action of T cells and the antibody. India is going through a big hike: mix of new B117 and B1617. Johnson should not be traveling to Delhi this month. madness! Covid cannot be transmitted via Zoom. The situation in India is very bad and getting worse. It’s downright crazy that Bangladesh and Pakistan are on the UK red list, but India is not. ”
International visitors who have traveled to or through UK red list countries during the previous ten days will be denied entry to Britain. Only British citizens and those with residency rights in Britain will be allowed entry and will be required to enter compulsory quarantine at a government-approved hotel for 10 days at a cost of £ 1,750 (1.7 lakh). per adult and will be tested for Covid-19. .
On April 9 Pakistan and Bangladesh were added to the UK travel red list, but so far India has not been included in the list.
Variant B1617 was designated on Thursday as a “variant investigated” by Public Health England, meaning it has epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties and requires research. PHE said as of April 14 it had identified 77 cases of the Indian variant in Britain, 73 cases in England and four in Scotland.
Variants first detected in Kent in the United Kingdom, Brazil, and South Africa have since been designated as “variants of concern” in the United Kingdom. The Kent (UK) variant (also known as B117) remains the dominant variant in Britain.
PHE said: “The variant, first detected in India, includes several mutations, including E484Q, L452R and P681R.”
E484Q and L452R are found separately in other coronavirus variants, but were first found together in India.
“PHE has identified 77 cases of this variant in the UK and all appropriate public health interventions will be carried out, including improved contact tracking. PHE and its international partners continue to monitor the situation closely,” PHE said. .
E484Q and L452R are known to be more infectious, more transmissible, and prevent antibodies. It is likely that the India variant is at least partly driving the current exponential increase in cases in India that are putting pressure on India’s healthcare infrastructure.
Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent Sage, a group of independent scientists who provide scientific advice to the UK government, who is the director of the UCL Operations Research Unit, tweeted: “B1617 is worrying because it has some potentially worrying mutations not seen in Ceps SA, Kent or Brazil. This variant can escape both the action of T cells and the antibody. India is going through a big hike: mix of new B117 and B1617. Johnson should not be traveling to Delhi this month. madness! Covid cannot be transmitted via Zoom. The situation in India is very bad and getting worse. It’s downright crazy that Bangladesh and Pakistan are on the UK red list, but India is not. ”
International visitors who have traveled to or through UK red list countries during the previous ten days will be denied entry to Britain. Only British citizens and those with residency rights in Britain will be allowed entry and will be required to enter compulsory quarantine at a government-approved hotel for 10 days at a cost of £ 1,750 (1.7 lakh). per adult and will be tested for Covid-19. .
On April 9 Pakistan and Bangladesh were added to the UK travel red list, but so far India has not been included in the list.