BHUBANESWAR: Mutated SARS-CoV-2 strains flagged as ‘variant of concern’ by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) could be fuelling a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases in Odisha, which has started reporting close to 500 new cases daily.Sources said three samples each from the State have recently been found carrying highly infectious UK strain and the double mutant detected for the first time in Maharashtra, the epicentre of coronavirus resurgence in the country.
Of over 300 samples sequenced in March, three samples were found positive for the UK (B.1.1.7) strain and three more with the E484Q and L452R mutations which confer immune escape and increased infectiousness. In December last year, three samples were found to be carrying the UK strain and one with the double mutation apart from the five samples that were detected with the N440K variant that is associated with immune escape.
A recent study by Hyderabad-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) had claimed that the N440K variant and a few other variants are spreading faster in some states leading to possible mutation in new variants. Claiming that the identified strains are highly infectious, health experts urged the State government to be continuously vigilant and ensure total enforcement of Covid norms along with strict containment measures to check cluster outbreaks.
“Some of the new variants are immune-escaping. They can cause reinfection as human immune systems cannot identify them from previous affliction because of the changes in their protein structure. The only measure we can take to protect ourselves is Covid appropriate behaviour with the use of mask, sanitisation and social distancing,” they said.
A health official said the persons detected with the UK strains and double mutation have recovered after treatment and their proper contact tracing and testing have been conducted. “There is no cause of worry,” he said denying to divulge any detail on the samples. The samples were sequenced by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics comprising 10 national laboratories. The NCDC is expected to make a detailed presentation soon on the genomic study of the samples sequenced from across the country last month.
471 new cases, one death in State
The State reported 471 new cases from 27 districts and one death in last 24 hours. The surge continued in districts bordering Chhattisgarh as Sundargarh recorded the highest 85 cases followed by Kalahandi (50), Nuapada (42), Khurda (40), Balangir (36), Sambalpur (27), Jharsuguda (23), Cuttack (22) and Nabarangpur (17). A 29-year-old woman from Khurda, who was also suffering from sickle cell disease with sickling crisis and hypothyroid disease, succumbed taking the death toll to 1,922. Active cases now stand at 2,785.