The double mutation refers to specific changes, among some others, that are denoted by E484Q and L452R. The so-called “double mutation” corona virus found in india can be considered a variant of concern (VOC) because of its significant spread and how some of the mutations are known to behave, India’s principal scientific adviser K VijayRaghavan said in an interview on Wednesday. The double mutation strain was subsequently named B.1.617.
World health Organisation Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan on saturday said the corona virus variant spreading in india was more contagious and might be evading the protection offered by vaccines. In an interview to the news agency, the scientist said that these factor were contributing to the massive outbreak of the infection in the second wave.The double mutation has been found in several countries like australia, belgium, germany, ireland, namibia, new zealand, singapore, the U.K. and the U.S. swaminathan said that the huge number of infections in india also increases the chances of new and more dangerous variants emerging.
“The more the virus is replicating and spreading and transmitting, the more chances are that, mutations will develop and adapt,” swaminathan said. “Variants which accumulate a lot of mutations may ultimately become resistant to the current vaccines that we have.”
