Indian authorities announced last week that a new mutation of the Delta variant (which first appeared in India) has been observed in several patients. According to initial analyzes, this new strain is more contagious and more resistant to antibodies.
Discovery of a new mutation of the Delta variant
First revealed in a newsletter from the English health agency on June 11, the mutation of the Delta variant (appeared for the first time in India) raises the concerns of the Indian government which revealed it, in a press release, Tuesday 22 last june. Named ‘K417N’ and baptized ‘Delta Plus’, this mutation has been identified in India across six states as indicated by the Indian authorities in a press release: “ Based on recent findings from the Indian Genomic Consortium on SARS-CoV-2 (INSACOG), the Ministry of Health has alerted and recommended vigilance in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh regarding the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19, observed in some districts of these states “.
A more contagious and more resistant mutation
According to the first work carried out on this mutation of SARS-CoV-2, it would seem that the Delta Plus variant would be more contagious and would cling more to receptors and lung cells. In addition, this mutation would lead to a reduction in the effectiveness of the antibodies and would therefore be more resistant to treatment with monoclonal antibodies. For all these reasons, the Indian health authorities have decided to consider the Delta Plus variant as a VOC (Variant Of Concern), that is, to be monitored closely because of its real danger to public health. As for the World Health Organization, it remains cautious on the subject since it declared: ” This variant does not appear to be common, and currently represents only a small fraction of the Delta sequences. But Delta and other variants of concern pose a higher risk to public health because they have been shown to increase transmission. “.
The Delta Plus variant spotted in around ten countries
According to a statement from the Indian Minister of Health last Wednesday, the Delta Plus variant has been observed in around 40 patients in India. According to Indian authorities, there is “ other Delta Plus variants, with other mutations », AY.1 is currently the best known, but a second lineage (named AY.2) identified in the United States is under study. In the rest of the world, the Delta Plus variant has been identified in England, the United States, Canada, Russia, Nepal, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, Japan and Turkey. For now, no case has been detected in France.
