Emergence of Double mutant of Covid-19 in India

Context

A new variant of coronavirus is detected from the samples collected in around 18 states in India.

About the Double Mutant Study

• The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG), a group of 10 national laboratories under the Health ministry, India carried out genomic sequencing on the recently collected samples.
• The study is being conducted in a change of infectiousness of the mutant virus.
• E484Q and L452R mutations were observed in the Maharashtra mutant.
• Impact of Mutation: Most of the mutations are insignificant and do not cause any change in their capacity to transmit and in causing serious infection.
• But some mutations such as the UK or South Africa variant lineages can make the virus more infectious.
• Double mutant: The double mutation in the virus's spike protein may increase the risk and help the virus to escape the immune system.
• The spike protein is the part of the virus that it uses to penetrate human cells.

Associated Risk

• The double mutations confer immune escape from the neutralizing antibodies.
• It can also cause increased infectivity.
• It can re-infectthe already recovered person of Covid-19 infection with mild symptoms.
• It can penetrate the herd immunity.
• This can put the most vulnerable population at risk of severe disease.