Why the World Should Be Alarmed About India’s New “Double” and “Triple” Mutant Covid-19 Strains
The world needs to re-brace itself for the deadliest strain of the coronavirus until now.
As I write this, Delhi stands at a positivity rate of 31%, i.e., every third person who tests for the virus has it. The true figure of people infected with the virus might be even higher; everyone I know is either infected or has a family member who is infected and needs urgent oxygen and ventilator support, plasma, Covid-19 medication, and Covid-19 detection tests— which are critically low in supply. The healthcare infrastructure has completely collapsed in Delhi and is slowly collapsing pan-India too. While all this sounds like a replica of the situation in 2020, there are some concerning differences in the virus strain, the severity of the symptoms for all age groups, and the pace at which the virus is spreading.
What are the “double” and “triple” mutant strains?
According to media outlets, the double mutant strain, called B.1.617, is an amalgamation of two Covid-19 variants L452R and E484Q. The L452R (California variant) binds more effectively to human cells, while E484Q reduces the effectiveness of Covid-19 antibodies (and is also the UK and South African variant).
