COVID-19: Greece confirms first case of India's 'double mutant' strain

Authorities in Greece have confirmed its first case of ‘double mutant’ strain infection that was first detected in India. According to a Greek City Times, the national public Health Organisation (NPHO) said in a statement that the positive sample of strain B.1.617 is from a male inhabitant of Patras in Western Greece. The man developed symptoms from March 16 and was finally detected in the testing by National Genomic Surveillance Network on March 22. As per the statement, the preliminary investigation revealed that the man had no travel history or even contact with any confirmed case of India’s ‘double mutant’ variant.

The man is reported to have mild symptoms and has no requirement of hospitalisation. Further, the Greek authorities informed that contact tracing has already begun. The strain B.1.617 has several mutations that make it even more infectious than SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus detected in China in December 2019 that causes COVID-19. The ‘double’ mutant; variant of coronavirus includes two key mutations, that includes L452R and E484Q.

However, as per reports, the strain in Greece, as per the statement, “does not carry the E484Q mutation, which is characterized as an escape mutation of the immune system.” As of April 26, Greece has recorded a total of 333,129 COVID-19 cases with over 10,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University tally. Meanwhile, India reported the world’s highest daily tally of coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day on Saturday, where the ‘double mutant’ variant is predominant.

What is ‘double mutant’ strain?

On March 24, the Health Ministry revealed that the Genome sequencing by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) has detected coronavirus variant with ‘double mutation’. Doctors in India have noted that mutations in rapidly spreading viruses are common but also alerted that it is a matter of concern but not panic. 

The government said that following an analysis of samples collected from Maharashtra showed “an increase in the fraction of samples with the E484Q and L452R mutations" compared with December last year. The Union Health Ministry also said, “Such [double] mutations confer immune escape and increased infectivity.” Senior medical professionals have told Republic TV that 770 VOCs or variants of concerns detected by INSACOG are currently being “watched closely.”

Image credits: PTI/AP