B.1.617 variant dominant strain in India: Harsh Vardhan

The B.1.617 variant has become the dominating Covid-19 mutant in India accounting for around 55% of total ‘variants of concern’ (VoC) detected in the country through genome sequencing so far, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said during a meeting of the Group of Ministers to review Covid-19 situation on Monday.


Of the total 25,739 Covid-19 positive samples sequenced by INSACOG till Monday morning, 9,508 samples have been found to have VoC. The B.1.617 variant - which was first detected in Maharashtra and found to have high transmissibility - was found in 5,261 samples, making it one of the most common mutations detected till now.


“We have ensured that a sentinel surveillance system and a strategy has been put in place. States have been requested to regularly send samples for whole genome sequencing regularly,” Vardhan said.

Earlier, officials had said that a co-relation has been seen between the surge in positive cases during the second wave of Covid-19 in India with the rise in the B.1.617 lineage of SARS-CoV2.

The prevalence of the variant was more common is states like Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Recently, the UK health department said that two doses of anti-Covid jabs may be required for strong protection against one of the strains of the B.1.617 variant. However, experts in India are of the view that first dose of Covishield generates adequate antibodies to protect against severe disease of Covid-19.

Vardhan also shared details about increasing incidence of Mucormycosis across the country.

As many as 5,424 cases of Mucormycosis have been reported from 18 states, with a majority of them in Gujarat (2,165) and Maharashtra (1,188). Uttar Pradesh (663), Madhya Pradesh (519), Haryana (339) and Andhra Pradesh (248) also have substantial number of cases of Mucormycosis.

"We have been warning, issuing advisories and, through our experts, it has been communicated that indiscriminate use of steroids must be avoided and diabetes must be treated thoroughly as best as possible," he said.

“Nine lakh vials of Amphotericin-B are being imported by the central government for the treatment of black fungus. Of this, 50,000 vials have been received and around three lakh vials will be available in the next seven days," he added.

Nineteen states have already declared Mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemics Act, he informed.

On vaccines and clinical intervention, Vardhan said, “We have already given 19.6 crore doses to our countrymen. Over 60 lakh doses are still with the states and further 21 lakh doses are in the pipeline.”

GoM also discussed the strategy for rural areas and plan to ramp up health infrastructure, and vaccination to tackle the ingress of the infection in villages and remote corners.