B.1.617 variant of Covid-19 first found in India last October seemed to be transmitting more easily than the original version of the virus. The World Health Organziation said on Monday that the B.1.617 variant first identified in India last year was being classified as a variant of global concern. “We classify it as a variant of concern at a global level,” Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, told a briefing. The variant has already spread to other countries, and many nations have moved to cut or restrict movements from India. Van Kerkhove said more information about the variant and its three lineages would be made available on Tuesday.

Source: The Hindu May 10, 2021 16:35 UTC