Public health experts have recommended one version of the Indian coronavirus variant be made a “variant of concern” in the UK, the BBC has been told.
Public Health England (PHE) is tracking B.1.617.2 which appears to spread more quickly than two other identified subtypes of the Indian variant.
Scientists also believe it is at least as transmissible than the variant detected in Kent last year.
A spokesman for PHE said it would not comment on leaked data.
Viruses mutate all the time, producing different versions of themselves. Most of these mutations are insignificant – and some may even make the virus less dangerous – but others can make it more contagious and harder to vaccinate against.
The Kent, South Africa and Brazil strains have all been deemed “variants of concern” in the UK. These versions, along with the India variant, have all undergone changes to their spike protein – the part of the virus which attaches to human cells.
Source:Fiilafmonline/BBC
