India has overtaken Brazil to become the second-most COVID-19 affected country in the world, only next to the United States. COVID-19 has infected 2,95,041 people in India and left 2,023 dead in the last 24 hours, in a grim new record for the country.
With the second wave of COVID-19 wreaking havoc in India, the major cause of concern is the third mutation in this B.1.617 strain that has now been identified in at least four states of India. Two of these triple-mutant varieties have been found in samples collected from Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh.
The Indian-origin double mutant strain of the coronavirus, B.1.167, that many experts say could be behind the rapid climb of the second COVID-19 wave, was first detected way back on October 5, last year through genome sequencing of a virus sample.
Now, a third mutation in the B.1.167 has been identified and experts are hoping that this time, given the alarm bells ringing all around, the pace of intervention and follow-up picks up.
Experts in India have raised alarm and called for faster genome sequencing to fully understand the triple mutant and how it behaves.
Mutant Strain
The coronavirus, just like other viruses keeps changing in small ways as it passes from one person to another. This is called a mutation. However, a lot of these mutations aren't dangerous and don't alter the way the virus behaves.
But some mutations trigger changes in the spike protein that the virus uses to latch on to and enter human cells, a BBC report suggests.
A triple mutant refers to variants that have three different strains that have combined together to form a new variant. As of now, multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants are circulating globally and a triple mutant strain could be the next challenge for India.
These variants could potentially be more infectious, cause more severe disease or evade vaccines. According to CDC, here are some of the potential consequences of emerging variants:
Genome sequencing
Genome sequencing, the study of genetic structures of an organism and the changes happening therein, produces a wealth of information that can throw light on the origins of the COVID-19 virus, the routes it has taken to reach particular geography and the changes, or mutations, that are making the virus stronger or weaker.
It was only in January this year that the government set up the Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) to expedite the gene-sequencing effort from India through a network of 10 laboratories.
