B.1.617 COVID-19 variant, first detected in India, now present in 53 international locations: WHO

By: PTI | Geneva, United Nations |
May 27, 2021 11:55:55 am
The B.1.617 COVID-19 variant, first detected in India, has now been present in 53 international locations, in line with the WHO, which famous that India recorded a 23 per cent lower within the variety of new circumstances within the final seven days however they had been nonetheless the best on the planet.
The World Health Organisation’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update, revealed May 25, mentioned that over the previous week, the variety of new circumstances and deaths continued to lower globally, with over 4.1 million new circumstances and 84,000 new deaths reported, a 14 per cent and a couple of per cent lower respectively in comparison with the earlier week.
According to the replace, the B.1.617 variant, first detected in India, is now prevalent in 53 international locations globally.
The B.1.617 viruses are divided in three lineages – B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3. The replace gave a break-up of prevalence of the three sub-lineages of the B.1.617 variant in international locations, territories and areas as of May 25.
According to it, B.1.617.1 is present in 41 international locations, B.1.617.2 in 54 international locations and B.1.617.3 in six. In addition, info for the B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 sub-lineages was acquired by WHO from unofficial sources in 11 international locations, together with China, and might be reviewed as extra info turns into accessible.
WHO has declared B.1.617 as a “variant of concern” and the replace famous that this variant has “increased transmissibility”, illness severity is “under investigation”, danger of reinfection is “under investigation, possible modest reduction in neutralization activity (B.1.617.1)”.
It mentioned that the best numbers of latest COVID circumstances within the final seven days had been reported from India (1,846,055 new circumstances; 23 per cent lower), Brazil (451,424 new circumstances; 3 per cent improve), Argentina (213,046 new circumstances; 41 per cent improve), the United States of America (188,410 new circumstances; 20 per cent lower), and Colombia (107,590 new circumstances; 7 per cent lower).
“Despite a declining global trend over the past four weeks, incidence of COVID-19 cases and deaths remain high, and substantial increases have been observed in many countries throughout the world,” it mentioned.
The replace additional mentioned that the South-East Asia Region reported over 2 million new circumstances and over 32,000 new deaths, a 21 per cent lower and a 4 per cent improve respectively in comparison with the earlier week.
“While the overall incidence of cases continues to decrease (driven primarily by trends in India), death incidence continued to increase for a tenth consecutive week, and sizable increases have been observed in other countries in the region,” it mentioned.
In the area, the best numbers of latest deaths had been reported from India (28,982 new deaths; 2.1 new deaths per 100,000; a 4 per cent improve), Nepal (1,297 new deaths; 4.5 new deaths per 100,000; a 6 per cent improve), and Indonesia (1,238 new deaths; 0.5 new deaths per 100,000; a ten per cent improve).