‘Indian variant’ cases triple in one week in UK

LONDON: Britain now has 3,424 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infections caused by the B.1617.2 variant, first identified in India. The number of cases has nearly tripled, with an additional 2,111 cases in the past week compared to a total of 1,313 the week before.
“Cases are still predominantly affecting the North West of England — particularly Bolton — and London, but we are seeing clusters of cases across the country. There is evidence that B.1617.2 is growing rapidly and may be more transmissible than B. 1.1.7 (the ‘Kent variant’) that is currently dominant in the UK,” the Public Health England (PHE) said.
“There is currently no evidence to suggest the vaccines will be less effective in protecting people against severe illness and hospitalisation from B.1617.2. It is highly likely that the vaccines offer significant protection against severe disease, hospitalisation and death, which is why it’s vital to get both vaccine doses as soon as you are offered to them,” it added.
Surge testing, including door-to-door testing and mobile testing units, enhanced contact tracing, and self-isolation support, and enhanced vaccine rollout are being deployed in affected areas with second doses for priority groups being brought forward. Wastewater monitoring has been increased in affected areas too to help identify early warning signals of where the variant may be present.
A spokesperson for PHE told TOI, “We are confident B.1617.2. is at least as transmissible as the Kent variant but we have not got enough evidence to make any further judgment.”
A paper to Sage by Jupiter, a consortium of modelling groups, on Friday, said, “Although Bolton was initially dominated by cases in the Asian population, there is now a heterogeneous mix of cases, suggesting community spread. We have three areas that we think are principally community transmission of B.1.617.2 — the North West cluster around Bolton, Sefton and Liverpool and around Bedford. Modelling suggests new variants with increased transmissibility are capable of generating a wave of infections bigger than previous waves. It is possible the outbreak in India is partly the result of higher transmission of B.1.617.2.”
The PHE has also this week classified a new variant with “an unusual mutation profile” a variant under investigation. There are 49 cases of the strain named VUI-21MAY-01 in the UK and the country it was first detected in is yet to be confirmed. It is mainly concentrated in Yorkshire and the Humber. There is currently no evidence it can evade the vaccine or causes more serious disease, PHE said.