NIV Detects New Covid Variant Likely To Cause Severe Symptoms; Covaxin Significantly Boosts Neutralising Efficacy

The National Institute of Virology (NIV) has detected a new Covid-19 variant B1.1.28.2 via genome sequencing of samples from International travellers which is likely to cause severe symptoms, Times of India has reported.

This variant has reportedly been detected from samples of travellers from the United Kingdom and Brazil.

As per the report, the evaluation shows an increased disease severity which necessitates the need for screening of vaccine efficiency. The symptoms may include weight loss, viral replication in respiratory tract and lung liasons. The variant also caused severe lung pathology in infected Syrian Hamster model.

Incidentally, a study has found that Made-In-India Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin significantly boosts antibodies and neutralising efficacy against the variant.

It was recently reported that novel Coronavirus variant ‘Delta’ (B.1.617.2) caused three out of four ‘breakthrough’ infections in Delhi.

B.1.617 is the name of a double variant of COVID-19 that was, for the first time, detected in Maharashtra, India (It was erroneously referred to as the ‘Indian variant’ by the press). It carries two mutations, E484Q and L452R. While both are separately found in many other coronavirus variants, they were observed together for the first time in India.

Together, the two mutations make the virus more infectious, and help it evade antibodies.

Its variant Delta, or B.1.617.2, is reportedly the most pervasive variant of the Coronavirus in India and is characterised by high transmissibility and an accelerated surge in infections.