In India, the Covid-19 epidemic is out of control. After the discovery of a "double mutant" variant, a new strain has just appeared. This time it is about a "triple mutant" variant.
The SARS-CoV-2 mutations occur when the rate of contamination is high. After the English, South African and Brazilian variants, several variants are talking about them in India, as explained by The Independent in an article of April 22, 2021. Remember that India is the second country most impacted by this pandemic. , with more than fifteen million cases and nearly 185,000 deaths.
Currently, the country is facing a second wave caused by a particular variant. This is B.1.617, a variant called "double mutant" which is also more contagious. Rather anxiety-provoking, this term is nevertheless very easily explained. It is the result of the meeting of two different strains of SARS-CoV-2, namely E484Q and L452R.
However, during this same second wave, another variant appeared and this one is said to be "triple mutant". This time, three strains coronavirus have come together to form a new variant for the moment still relatively unknown to researchers spotted in the states of Delhi, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
On April 21, the local channel NDTV gave the floor to Madhukar Pai, professor of epidemiology at McGill University (Canada). According to him, this triple mutant variant would be more transmissible. However, nothing is certain. studies currently in progress should provide details in the coming days. The fact is that India is completely overwhelmed by the epidemic, due to a new, very intense outbreak. The country broke a new world record for infections in a single daywith 310,000 new cases . Between April 17 and April 21, that figure rose to one million!
Big Indian cities are the main centers of contamination. New Delhi is in the lead and its health system is severely abused. The shortage of oxygen occurring especially in the capital is combined with the lack of medicines throughout the country. Today, the eyes of the world are on India. It must be said that the "double mutant" variant has already been detected in several countries such as Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom or even Singapore. In this context, the very recent appearance of the "triple mutant" variant is therefore frankly not good news.
