WHO classifies triple-mutant COVID-19 variant from India as global health risk

(Rebecca Conway/Getty Images)

By Hanna Park

(WASHINGTON) The World Health Organization said Monday that the coronavirus variant first identified in India last year will be reclassified as a “variant of concern,” indicating that it has become a global health threat.

The B.1.617 variant has been found to spread more easily than the original virus, with some evidence indicating that it may evade some of the protections provided by the vaccines, according to a preliminary study. But the shots are still considered effective. The agency will provide more details on Tuesday.

The highly contagious, triple-mutant variant is also the fourth variant to be designated as a global concern, prompting enhanced tracking and analysis. The other variants are those first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil.

"We are classifying this as a variant of concern at a global level," said Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, per Reuters. "There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility."

A variant is labeled as “of concern” if it is shown to be more contagious, more deadly or more resistant to current vaccines and treatments, according to the WHO.

The global agency said the predominant lineage of B.1.617 was first identified in India in December, although an earlier version was spotted in October 2020.

The variant has already spread to other countries, and many nations – including the U.S. – have moved to end or restrict travel from India.

"Even though there is increased transmissibility demonstrated by some preliminary studies, we need much more information about this virus variant and this lineage and all of the sub-lineages," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19.

India reported a record-high of daily coronavirus cases, averaging about 391,000 new daily cases and about 3,879 deaths per day, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

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