KAPPA VARIANT OF COVID 19 FOUND IN UTTAR PRADESH, IS IT A VARIANT OF CONCERN?

KAPPA VARIANT OF COVID 19 FOUND IN UTTAR PRADESH, IS IT A VARIANT OF CONCERN?

Uttar Pradesh has reported two cases of the Kappa variant of Covid-19, which has been confirmed by the King Geroge's Medical College where the genome sequencing of 109 samples took place. Out of these 109 samples, 107 Delta variant cases have been found. Some reports claimed that there have been three cases of Kappa variant in Uttar Pradesh and the first patient, a 66-year-old resident of Sant Kabir Nagar, has succumbed to the disease.

According to the Union health ministry's June data, there were 3,969 Alpha, 149 Beta, 1 Gamma, and 16,238 Delta and Kappa variant cases in India. The B.1.617 lineage was first observed in Maharashtra and was "associated with an unusual rise in several districts of the state", the ministry had said about the lineage, not specifying Delta or Kappa. On Friday, Niti Aayog member (health) VK Paul said the Kappa variant in India got overshadowed by Delta.

WHAT IS KAPPA?

This is not a new variant. According to the World Health Organizations's site on tracking SARS-Cov-2, the Kappa variant was first detected in India in October 2020. The variant is identified as B.1.617.1, while Delta is represented as B.1.617.2.

The World Health Organization (WHO) named the variant Kappa in late May. This variant has been found to carry over a dozen mutations, of which two have been identified - E484Q and L452R. Because of this, Kappa is also referred to as a "double mutant".

Health experts are closely monitoring the L452R mutation because it helps the virus escape the body's natural immune response.

IS IT A VARIANT OF CONCERN?

WHO at present has not classified this variant as a variant of concern. Like Lambda, which has already spread in 30 countries. across the world, Kappa is a variant of interest.

EFFECTIVE ARE VACCINES AGAINST THESE VARIANT?

In a recent study, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has stated that Covaxin was effective for Kappa, as well as Beta and Delta variants of coronavirus.

A few days ago, the United States' National Institute of Health (NIH) also stated that Covaxin effectively neutralized both Alpha and Delta variants of coronavirus.

Last month, according to a study by researchers at Oxford University, which was published in the journal Cell, vaccines made by AstraZeneca were effective against Delta and Kappa variants of COVID-19. In India, AstraZeneca vaccine is used as Covishield.

There is no case of the Lambda variant of SARS-CoV-2 in India at present but the government is closely monitoring the global landscape of this new variant, Which was first found in Peru and then spread to around 30 countries in the world, including many European countries. Had it entered India, it would have been detected by INSACOG (The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium of Genomics), Niti Aayog member (health) VK Paul said on Friday, during the press briefing of the health ministry.

"We should be watchful as the virus is under pressure across the world. Whenever the virus is under pressure, it picks up certain new characteristics," Dr Paul said. "Lambda is the 7th variant of interest, which was notified by the World. Health Organization on June 14. This variant is predominant in Peru and was first reported in Peru. Our INSACOG is monitoring the situation," Joint secretary of the Union health ministry Lav Agarwal said.