UK Covid-19 variant driving Delhi surge: NCDC

The surge in Covid-19 cases in the national capital could be attributed to the UK variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus as genome sequencing of samples detected 400 cases of the strain.

Sujeet Kumar Singh, Director of the National Centre for Disease Control, presented the findings at a webinar on ‘Genome Sequencing of the SARS-COV-19’ organised by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

Besides 400 cases of the UK strain, scientists also found 76 cases of the Indian double mutant in the national capital. Scientists had carried out genome sequencing of 3,208 samples in the national capital.

Singh said the UK variant of the coronavirus was found in 28% of samples in the second week of March, while it had risen to 50% of samples collected in the last week of March.

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“If we try to co-relate, the surge we are observing in Delhi, it directly co-relates to the type of variant which we are observing," he said.

“There are scenarios which we are observing. In Punjab... we found that the UK variant was the primary variant. In Maharashtra, B.1.617 (double mutant) variant in proportions over 50% in many cities,” Singh said.

Singh said 15,133 samples have been sequenced by Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG) set up in December last year to mount genomic surveillance after the UK, South African and Brazilian variants of the virus were reported.

Initially, the INSACOG carried out genome sequencing on all positive cases reported in the testing of international passengers arriving at airports.