Variant B.1.617 identified in India has already spread to 44 countries

(CNN) – One of the types of Covid-19 Identified for the first time in India It has spread to 44 countries around the world, threatening to undermine global progress in containing the epidemic. Alternative B.1.617 appears to be leading the second crippling wave for India, which killed 4,205 people on Wednesday alone, a record high. But in February, India appeared to have brought the epidemic under control, with daily cases falling nearly 90% since the height of the first wave. How did this alternative get out of control?

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday classified the specific variable in India as “of concern”, which means that it could be, among other indications, more susceptible to infection, cause more serious disease, do not respond to treatment, and avoid an immune response or not. It is diagnosed with standard tests.

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that there are doubts about the role the variable has played in the resurgence of cases and deaths in India, explaining that other factors, such as mass religious and political gatherings, may also have contributed.

WHO assessment It will not surprise the prime minister’s critics Narendra Modi and his party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who have come under increasing criticism after holding numerous election rallies that drew thousands of people and give the green light to the largest religious pilgrimage on the planet last month, even as experts warned it could cause a fatal increase. .

The WHO noted that “the exact contributions of each of these factors to increased transmission in India are not well understood.” Meanwhile, the Indian boom has devastated major cities, and hospitals have run out of oxygen and medicines. The nightmare seems inevitable Devastating scenes Which is now ravaging the entire nation. In rural states and farther villages, there is a shortage of doctors and clinics, which makes India’s poorest fight for their lives without access to healthcare.

Although India is responsible for 95% of cases and 93% of deaths in Southeast Asia, 50% of cases and 30% of deaths globally, worrying trends have also been observed. In neighboring countries.

The variable B.1.617 has also spread outside the borders of India. The United Kingdom, which is about to take the “biggest step” towards normalcy by abandoning most of the restrictions due to the pandemic next Monday, reported the largest number of cases of the strain outside India, according to the World Health Organization. Asked about the alternative, England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said Monday, “We don’t know if this will cause major problems in the fall.” Meanwhile, in the United States, where B.1.617 is also present, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to classify it as ‘Variable of interest’, But they indicated that this ranking could be increased or decreased based on scientific evidence.