Nu Variant of COVID-19: India To Screen All Arrivals From Botswana, South Africa And Hong Kong

Amid the growing global concerns over a new Covid variant believed to have emerged in 'Botswana' that is said to be the most mutated version of the virus yet, India too is taking precautions.

India has decided to screen and test all international passengers coming from or transiting through Botswana, South Africa and Hong Kong -- the three countries where the new COVID-19 variant B.1.1529 has been reported so far.

AFP

¡°lt is therefore imperative that all international travellers travelling from and transiting through these countries, (they are part of the ¡°at risk¡± country category of international travellers coming to lndia) and also including all other ¡°at risk¡± countries indicated in the revised guidelines for international arrivals issued by this ministry dated 11.11.2021, are subjected to rigorous screening and testing, as per health ministry guidelines,¡± health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to all states on Thursday.

MoHFW

Bhushan urged states to ensure that samples of travellers turning positive are sent to INSACOG genome sequencing laboratories promptly as per the ministry guidelines.

Nu strain

Though Botswana has so far reported three cases, South Africa six and Hong Kong one case of the Nu strain, the mutant has sent panic around the world.

That is because the strain carries 32 mutations, which is unusually high and many of the mutations suggest that it is highly transmissible and vaccine-resistant, and has more alterations to its spike protein than any other variants.

Unsplash/Representational image

Changes to the spike make it difficult for current jabs to fight off, because they train the immune system to recognise an older version of this part of the virus.

According to British scientists, it likely emerged in a lingering infection in an immunocompromised patient, possibly someone with undiagnosed AIDS.

The strain has been identified outside Africa only in one place - Hong Kong - on a man who had recently traveled from South Africa.

But it also indicates that the strain has already escaped the country where it originated and could be spreading across the world.

BCCL

This is posing a major challenge to countries across the world, including India where international travel restrictions are being eased as the COVID-19 situation is improving.

With so many mutations, identified on the new strain, it is widely believed that the existing vaccines may offer little to no protection against it.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is convening an emergency meeting Friday to discuss the potentially rapidly spreading COVID strain.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.