India - "Double mutant" coronavirus, second wave worried

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

インドで「２重変異株」のコロナウイルス、第２波懸念

2021.03.27 Sat posted at 16:30 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） 新型コロナウイルスの感染が再拡大するインドの保健省は２７日までに、ウイルスの「２重変異株」を新たに発見したと報告した。

１つのウイルス株に２つの変異がみられるものだが、この変異株がどれほどの感染者増につながっているのかは不明。また、従来の流行株に比べ感染力が強いのかも把握されていない。

ただ、保健省は今回見つかったようなウイルス株の変異は免疫回避と感染力の増強をもたらし得るとも述べた。

保健省は報道発表文で、２重変異株をさらに詳しく分析するためゲノム解析や疫学上の調べを続けているともした。

インドでは感染の再加速を受け、第２波到来への懸念が高まっている。

Translation

  (CNN) – Indian was having a new outbreak of the new coronavirus infection, and its Ministry of Health reported on the 27th that they had discovered a new "double mutant"  virus.

Two mutations were found in one virus strain, but it was unknown how much this mutant strain would lead to an increase in the number of infected people. In addition, it was not known whether the infectivity would be stronger than that of the epidemic strain seen so far.

However, the Ministry of Health also said that mutations in virus strains such as those found this time could lead to immune evasion and increased infectivity.

The Ministry of Health said in a press release that they were continuing with the genomic and epidemiological studies to further analyze the double mutants.

With the re-acceleration of infection in India, there was growing concern about the arrival of the second wave.

              So, India is standing by to deal with a next wave of the Covid-19 infection. The new "double mutant"  virus could be a new concern for us.