International researchers believe that this variant is usually of Indian origin. As a result, researchers and media centers around the world are now focusing on Vidarbha; some even visited Nagpur while tracing the new “Indian variant.” “It’s different from the variant from the UK, Africa or Brazil, which was discussed at the beginning of this wave,” said infectious disease specialist Dr Nitin Shinde, who has received inquiries from many international researchers and journalists on the second wave in India.
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“Many countries, including the United Kingdom, have imposed bans on travel to India. This is because a specific variant of the virus – B.1.617 – is becoming more common, “said Dr. Shinde. He believes the increase in Amravati was also due to this variant, although must confirm with further research.
According to data shared by the eGlobal Influenza Data Sharing Initiative (GSAID), B.1.617 was first found in samples collected in December 2020 in the country. They have genome sequencing data from Indian samples as of April 3 this year. Until then, this variant was visible in 29% of the samples in India.
G20 health ministers recognize GSAID for its importance to global health. In 2020, the WHO called this data science initiative “a game changer” regarding the pandemic.
Dr. Atul Gawande, of Umarkhed, Yavatmal District, Vidarbha, and currently a member of the Covid-19 control advisory team of U.S. President Joe Biden, has also expressed concern about this variant, all and that he considers it “extremely terrifying.” “I see this variant going through my family’s entire homes in India. It is still unclear if it is more lethal and if vaccines work well against it, ”he said.
As Dr. Gawande pointed out, it has been observed, especially in Vidarbha, that this variant infects entire families, unlike its predecessors in the September 2020 wave. This means the virus is significantly more infectious, he says. But it is yet to be studied whether it is lethal or not. Currently, the variant is “under investigation.” It is not yet designated as a “variant of concern,” but scientists have recognized it as a “variant of interest.” According to an initial study by virology researcher Grace Roberts of Queen’s University, Belfast, it is estimated that this variant is about 20% more transmissible than the previous form of coronavirus that circulated during the first wave.
However, health ministry officials said the increase in cases is unrelated to the variant, as B.1.617 has not been detected in amounts high enough to determine whether it is directly responsible. Experts, however, think this may be due to a lack of data, and many have stressed the importance of increasing virus sequencing to get a better picture.