World Health Organisation (WHO) says Indian variant being classified as a global concern

The World Health Organisation said on Monday that the B.1.617 variant first identified in India last year was being classified as a variant of global concern. The WHO has said the predominant lineage of B.1.617 was first identified in India last December, and available information suggests increased transmissibility. The variant has already spread to other countries, and many nations have moved to restrict movements from India.

Indian coronavirus infections and deaths held close to record daily highs on Monday, increasing calls for the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lock down the world’s second-most populous country.

Source: Dawn