'Omicron has over 30 mutations; puzzling from scientific perspective,' says CSIR DG

Amid the ongoing scare evoked by the newly detected COVID-19 variant ‘Omicron’, Dr Shekhar Mande, Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have now said that the scenario at hand is ‘puzzling’. Speaking about the new variant of the coronavirus, Dr Mande said that it has a high rate of mutation. The CSIR DG further added that the variant was unlike any found earlier.

Dr Shekhar Mande on Monday said that the Omicron variant is now being studied. He said that the variant is having unique mutations in its spike protein. “Surveillance for COVID is being done here. Omicron has accumulated more than 30 mutations, 26 of which are unique in the spike protein which isn't observed in any other strains like Alpha, Beta, Gamma or Delta. This is puzzling from a scientific perspective,” Dr Mande told ANI.

Dr Mande’s statement comes amid the rising concern over the virus. However, other Indian medical experts earlier demystified these concerns on the spread of the multi-mutated variant and said that the variant is not to be feared. While speaking to Republic TV’s Executive Editor Niranjan Narayanswami on Sunday, Padma Bhushan Dr Ashok Seth, Chairman of Fortis Escorts Hospital and Padma Shri Dr Arvinder Soin, Chairman of Medanta Institute of Liver Transplant answered several questions pertaining to the new variant concerning India, majorly they have advised that ‘there is no need to panic’ and the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and vaccines are our best safeguards.

While elucidating about the B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa, Dr Ashok Seth explained, “The situation of this new variant is of concern, while the variant had not come into the country, we have to be cautious. While there should be no panic, proactive and stringent measures have to be taken, going by the experience of the delta variant. We know that this variant has more mutations than the Delta variant, hence there is a serious concern about it, therefore it wasn't considered as a 'variant of interest' by WHO, and was straight away moved to the category of a 'variant of concern."

Countries that have reported Omicron cases

In a recent update, Canada and Australia confirmed Omicron cases. Two passengers who arrived in Sydney from southern Africa tested positive for the COVID-19 variant Omicron. Apart from South Africa, Botswana, and Hong Kong now cases have been reported from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Israel, Germany, and Italy. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has announced a temporary ban on flights from six African countries after a new COVID strain was detected with more than 30 mutations. Two linked cases of the new variant, which is feared to be immune evasive, were also detected in Britain in persons having a travel history to southern Africa, British Health Minister Sajid Javid informed, citing UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) via Twitter post.

Image: ANI/ Pixabay