International
oi-Madhuri Adnal
London, Apr 30: UK health authorities have said that two further strands with the same “parent lineage” as the so-called Indian variant of coronavirus have been identified and are now being monitored as separate Variants Under Investigation (VUIs).
Public Health England (PHE) said it has tracked around 400 cases of the B.1.617 variant of coronavirus first found in India but added that it continues to remain a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) as opposed to Variant of Concern (VOC), with no evidence so far to suggest it is more dangerous.
The two further variants are from the B.1.617 lineage, described as a “distinct fingerprint of genetic mutations”, making the two additional VUIs genetically similar.
“While closely related, their genetic profiles are different and have been designated as separate Variants Under Investigation so that we can track them properly and take…