B.1.618 Covid Variant: Another form of corona causing havoc!- A new form of corona virus has been detected in India. This variant has been found in many samples. According to experts, a change in this variant is similar to that seen in the Brazilian and South African variants. This change is called E484K and according to research, it is capable of combating virus vaccines or antibodies caused by previous infections. The new variant is named B.1.618.
The details of this new variant have come at a time when genome sequencing data first revealed the widespread proliferation of another variant found in India (B.1.617). B.1.617 is also being called ‘double mutant’. Now both these variants are very important for scientists and they are researching whether the corona virus has become more contagious, more deadly or more resistant due to these changes.
The three most common variants of Corona
The study of these variants will also reveal whether these two variants are behind the second wave of Kovid-19 in India. According to data submitted by India to the global repository GISAID, 12% of all variants sequenced in the last 60 days belong to sample B.1.618. It is the third most common variant. The highest number of samples is found in the B1.617 variant, in addition to the B1.1.7 (UK variant) found in a large number of samples.
New variant spreading fast
Dr. Soumitra Das, director of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, told Hindustan Times, “The B.1.618 variant came out in West Bengal some time back. We did not study in detail on mutations and its clinical impact because the so-called double mutants The variant (B.1.617) was spreading quite rapidly. Of the mutations that have come out of Bengal, about 25% have found the B1.618 variant. ”
Das said that this variant has been found in 80% of the samples in some districts of Maharashtra. He said that the effect of this variant or B1.617 on the vaccine afferent is being estimated. It is believed that it avoids the immune response because it has E484K mutations.
A variant may have multiple mutations and is not uncommon. After some changes, the virus has become stronger. If the UK variant spreads rapidly, the South African variant gives frequent infections and makes the vaccine less effective.
B.1.618 has been found in plenty in Bengal
According to the analysis on outbreak.info, 129 samples out of 130 of B.1.618 sequenced in India were from West Bengal. 62.5% of the samples of B.1.618 variants reported worldwide are from India. It was identified on April 22, 2020 in a sample outside India.
