(ANSA-AFP) - GENEVA, APRIL 28 - The so-called Indian variant of the Covid-19 virus has been sequenced in at least 17 countries around the world, including Italy, as revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its newsletter pandemic weekly.
The mutation of the virus that is scourging India with a hitherto unknown impetus, also known as variant B.1.617, has been detected in over 1,200 sequences uploaded to the international database Gisaid, recalls the WHO. The countries where it was detected most frequently, India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore. but also in Belgium, Switzerland, Greece and Italy.
Variant B.1.617, which has a number of "sub-variants" has so far been classified as a mutation "of interest" but not yet "of concern", which would label it more dangerous than the original virus as it is more contagious, more lethal or resistant to vaccines . (ANSA-AFP).