Jammu division has recorded a new variant leading to sudden spike in deaths of Covid19 patients, doctors said.
“A new variant has also come which is the reason behind the spike in cases, deaths i.e., B.1.617.2,” said the Principal, Government Medical College Jammu, Dr Shashi Sudan.
“Genome sequencing of samples from Jammu Division revealed the presence of a UK variant in 60 percent of the samples in March. However, in April the percentage of UK variants dropped to 47 percent and the B.1. 617 (new variants) increased to 38 percent,” reads a report of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
This variant has spread in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttrakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu Division of Jammu and Kashmir, according to the NCDC report.
The Principal GMC further said that they had sent samples in March-April for testing and their reports have confirmed that they were infected with the new variant.
The NCDC report says that in order to ascertain the clinic-epidemiological correlation of VOCs like B. 1. 617 and other mutations, it is required to study the trends in epidemiological and clinical terms over a period.
“B1. 617 has three sub-lineages i.e., B.1.6172, B.1.617.2, and B.1.617.3. Notably, B.1.617.2 does not have the E484Q mutation as compared to the other two sub-lineages i.e., B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.3,” the report reads and further adds that in the month of April 2021, B.1.617.2 has shown an increasing trend in some of the Northern States of the country.
In view of the trends, the NCDC has recommended increased preparedness for testing, essential drugs, hospital beds, oxygen support, transportation and manpower.