Scientists race to study variants in India as cases explode

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

NEW DELHI (AP) — A potentially worrisome variant of the coronavirus detected in India may spread more easily. But the country is behind in doing the kind of testing needed to track it and understand it better.

On Monday, the World Health Organization designated the new version of the virus a “variant of concern” based on preliminary research, alongside those that were first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil but have spread to other countries.

“We need much more information about this virus variant,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19. “We need more sequencing, targeted sequencing to be done and to be shared in India and elsewhere so that we know how much of this virus is circulating.”

Viruses mutate constantly, and the surge in infections here has resulted in more opportunities for new versions to emerge.

https://apnews.com/article/europe-india-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-fab2f1d6d08fd2442acf6a7e737866c4

[dutch777]

1. Tragedy for India and Brazil and a threat to the world as they act as giant petri dishes for

a more infectious and maybe more deadly Covid variant that could end run current vaccines. Impossible to truly seal borders these days especially in countries where folks just walk across international borders to trade and such. As I have been watching previous variants spread, seems like it is about 6 weeks from detection somewhere to being present to some extent everywhere. Scary!