Covid double mutant has 16 variants in Gujarat: GISAID

AHMEDABAD: The double mutant SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 version of Covid virus currently impacting lives has 16 variants in Gujarat, according to information published on the GISAID website, a worldwide Covid information collaboration platform.
The information on Covid-19 variants found in 11 different states of India has been reported to GISAID by a team of scientists of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG). It is a grouping of 10 national laboratories established by the Union ministry of health.

The INSACOG updated the global platform of 16 variants of the B.1.617 Covid virus mutant in Gujarat, 175 variants in Maharashtra, and 133 variants in West Bengal. Thiswas submitted to GISAID in February.
Another vital piece of information says there are 25 versions of the UK variant, SARSCoV-2 B.1.1.7, in Gujarat at the moment. The UK variant was first detected in London as well as in the southeast and the east of England in December 2020.Gujarat was among a few vigilant states in the country that initially provided samples to the National Centre for Cell Science, Delhi, an institute which is part of the INSACOG.
According to the GISAID, the first report of the B.1.617’s presence in Gujarat was reported on February 2 this year with three samples testing positive for the double mutant virus. ater on February 3, two samples showed the mutant presence; and then on February 6, three more samples showed the double mutant virus.
The GISAID platform is maintained by the governments of Germany, the official host; Singapore; and the US. It provides open-access to genomic data of influenza viruses and the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 pandemic.