NEW DELHI: A highly contagious new double mutant Covid-19 variant first discovered in India has now been found in the UK and is calling on Boris Johnson to cancel his trip to India.
The B1617 variant was labeled as a ‘variant under investigation’ by Public Health England on Thursday, meaning that it has epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties and requires investigation. PHE said it had identified 77 cases of the India variant in Britain by April 14 – 73 cases in England and four in Scotland.
Variants first discovered in Kent in the UK, Brazil and South Africa were subsequently referred to as ‘variants of concern’ in the UK. The Kent (UK) variety (also known as B117) remains the dominant variety in Great Britain.
PHE said, “The variant, first discovered in India, contains a number of mutations, including E484Q, L452R and P681R.”
E484Q and L452R are found separately in other coronavirus variants, but they 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 undertaken, including enhanced contact tracking. PHE and international partners continue to monitor the situation closely, ”said PHE.
Together, E484Q and L452R are known to be more contagious, more transmissible and to evade antibodies. It is likely that the India variant is at least partially driving the current exponential rise in the number of cases in India, putting pressure on Indian 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 director of the Operational Research Unit at UCL, tweeted: SA, Kent or Brazil species. This variant could escape both T cell and antibody action. India is going through a big wave – mix of B117 and new B1617. Johnson shouldn’t be traveling to Delhi this month! insanity! You cannot send Covid via Zoom. The situation in India is very bad and deteriorating. It is downright insane that Bangladesh and Pakistan are on the red list of UK travel but India is not. ”
International visitors who have traveled from or through countries on the UK’s Red List in the past 10 days will be denied entry to Great Britain. Only British citizens and those with residency rights in Great Britain will be admitted and they will be required to go into compulsory quarantine at a government approved hotel for 10 days at a cost of £ 1,750 (Rs 1.7 lakh) per adult and Covid-19- undergo tests.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were added to the UK’s red travel list on April 9. But India has not been listed so far.
The B1617 variant was labeled as a ‘variant under investigation’ by Public Health England on Thursday, meaning that it has epidemiological, immunological or pathogenic properties and requires investigation. PHE said it had identified 77 cases of the India variant in Britain by April 14 – 73 cases in England and four in Scotland.
Variants first discovered in Kent in the UK, Brazil and South Africa were subsequently referred to as ‘variants of concern’ in the UK. The Kent (UK) variety (also known as B117) remains the dominant variety in Great Britain.
PHE said, “The variant, first discovered in India, contains a number of mutations, including E484Q, L452R and P681R.”
E484Q and L452R are found separately in other coronavirus variants, but they 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 undertaken, including enhanced contact tracking. PHE and international partners continue to monitor the situation closely, ”said PHE.
Together, E484Q and L452R are known to be more contagious, more transmissible and to evade antibodies. It is likely that the India variant is at least partially driving the current exponential rise in the number of cases in India, putting pressure on Indian 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 director of the Operational Research Unit at UCL, tweeted: SA, Kent or Brazil species. This variant could escape both T cell and antibody action. India is going through a big wave – mix of B117 and new B1617. Johnson shouldn’t be traveling to Delhi this month! insanity! You cannot send Covid via Zoom. The situation in India is very bad and deteriorating. It is downright insane that Bangladesh and Pakistan are on the red list of UK travel but India is not. ”
International visitors who have traveled from or through countries on the UK’s Red List in the past 10 days will be denied entry to Great Britain. Only British citizens and those with residency rights in Great Britain will be admitted and they will be required to go into compulsory quarantine at a government approved hotel for 10 days at a cost of £ 1,750 (Rs 1.7 lakh) per adult and Covid-19- undergo tests.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were added to the UK’s red travel list on April 9. But India has not been listed so far.