A new strain of coronavirus has been detected in India, the country’s health ministry announced on Wednesday, but officials have yet to determine whether the variant is contributing to an increase in cases in the country.
An analysis of samples from the state of Maharashtra found that there was an increase in the percentage of samples with two specific mutations, the ministry of health wrote. The mutations that appeared in approximately 15 to 20 percent of the tested samples did not match any of the previously cataloged variants, he noted.
According to The Associated Press, the state is responsible for more than 60 percent of all active cases in India.
The new variant has two mutations in the spiny protein, which the virus uses to protect itself in cells, said Dr. Rakesh Mishra, director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology in India, one of 10 research institutes that sequence the virus, from according to the AP.
Mishra added that these genetic differences can be worrisome because they can help increase infectivity and help the virus escape the immune system.
In addition to the new variant, sequencing in India has also detected strains from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil, the health ministry said. The most widespread in the country is the United Kingdom variant, he added.
Health officials and experts, however, asked people not to link the variants to the increase in infections in India, the AP noted.
According to data from the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases in India started to increase in February, after falling for several months. On Tuesday, the country recorded 40,715 confirmed cases and 275 deaths, according to the WHO.
Health officials are now concerned about the upcoming spring festivals in India, AP reported. The government has asked states to impose restrictions, but many celebrants have ignored distance protocols and viruses, the news service noted.
The Hill contacted the World Health Organization for comment.