A new “double mutant” variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been discovered in India, health officials said on Wednesday.
The country’s Ministry of Health said the variant was detected in more than 200 samples sequenced in the state of Maharashtra.
The variant has two mutations in the spike protein that the virus uses to penetrate human cells.
It is not clear whether the mutation would make it more transmissible, but other variants with changes in its peak proteins are spreading rapidly around the world.
However, officials said the double mutant variant was not detected in numbers large enough to be associated with the recent outbreaks.
“Although [variants of concern] and a new double mutant variant has been found in India, these have not been detected in sufficient numbers to establish or target the relationship or explain the rapid increase in cases in some states, ”health officials said in a statement.
“Genomic sequencing and epidemiological studies continue to analyze the situation.”
Wired Poles