All about the Kappa COVID variant found in Uttar Pradesh

Two cases of the Kappa variant of coronavirus
have been detected in Uttar Pradesh, an official statement on Friday confirmed.
The two were detected among 109 samples that underwent genome sequencing at the
King George’s medical college in state capital Lucknow.  Delta Plus variants were found in the remaining
107 samples.

Here is all you need to know about the Kappa
variant:

·     
The Kappa variant was first detected
in India in October 2020, according to the World Health Organization. It is
also known as B.1.617.1, while the Delta variant is known as B.1.617.2

·     
The UN health agency has so far
not classified it as a variant of concern. It remains a variant of interest,
like the Lambda strain – which has spread to at least 30 countries across the
world

·     
The Kappa variant is one of the
so called ‘double mutant’ coronaviruses. It has two mutations – the EE484Q and
the L452R

·     
Scientists believe the L452R
mutation may aid the virus in avoiding the body’s natural immune response
system

Also Read | Why India should worry about coronavirus’ Lambda variant

How
are the Delta and Kappa variants different from each other?

Like the Kappa variant, the Delta variant
was also first detected in India in October 2020. It was designated a variant
of interest in April, 2021 and became a variant of concern a month later. The Kappa
variant, meanwhile, still remains a variant of interest, which it was designated
as on April 4.

The Delta variant was believed to be the
primary cause for the explosion of cases during India’s second wave, when the country
shattered global records in daily cases and deaths. At the peak of the second
wave, India recorded over 4,00,000 cases and over 4,500 deaths every day.

 The Delta
variant has further mutated into a Delta Plus strain, which has also been detected
in many countries.