Why are new COVID-19 variants emerging time and again?
Over the course of years, we have come to accept the emergence of new variants and have understood the science behind it.
Like all other viruses, the SARs-COV-2 virus is also programmed to mutate and hence, new variants are bound to emerge. "When a virus replicates or makes copies of itself, it sometimes changes a little bit, which is normal for a virus. These changes are called mutations," explains the World Health Organization. A virus with one or more new mutations is referred to as a “variant” of the original virus, adds the global health agency.
Having said that, new COVID variants have emerged time and again and while some variants have been easier to tackle and tame, the Delta and the latest variant Omicron have wreaked a lot of havoc around the world and in India.
The Delta variant and India's second coronavirus wave
The devastation caused by the second wave of coronavirus is certainly unforgettable. While lax in taking precautions and negligence were some of the reasons behind the surge in the number of COVID cases, the Delta variant was said to have driven the second wave.
The B.1.617 variant is believed to contain two separate mutations, namely E484Q and L452R.
With the help of genome sequencing and sample testing, the first case of double mutation in India was discovered in the state of Maharashtra. Earlier lab results reported a sharp rise in the E484Q and L452R mutations since December, 2020.
Delta Plus variant
Following the second COVID wave in India, the government announced the presence of yet another deadly variant, known as Delta Plus variant.
As per the officials, the Delta plus variant showed three unique characteristics, which made it more concerning than the previous variants.
- Increased transmissibility
- Stronger binding to receptors of lung cells
- Potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response
Besides India, the variant was reportedly detected in the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, China and Russia.
Read also: Coronavirus: Two new Omicron symptoms that have come to light
Kappa variant
The Kappa variant of SARs-COV-2 virus was first detected in India in December 2020. It is known as the double mutant strain of the virus, scientifically called B.1.167.1. The COVID variant is said to include a combination of E484Q and E484K mutation, dominant in Brazillian and South African variants respectively. It also contains L452R mutation which allegedly helps the variant to dodge immune defences.
B.11.318 variant
The B.11.318 variant, like the Kappa variant, includes the E484K mutation. India has reported two genome sequences of this new variant so far.
B.1.617.3
A lineage of B.1.617 variant, B.1.617.3 is a part of the Delta variant B.1.617.2, which is said to be responsible for the second wave of coronavirus in India.
As of now, the B.1.617.3 variant has not been termed as a variant of interest or concern by any health authorities so far.
Omicron variant is currently the most dominant strain globally
The Omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, has been declared a variant of concern by the World Health Organization. While the new coronavirus variant is said to be 'mild' so far, the high rate of infectiousness and transmissibility has raised concerns around the world. The global health agency has warned against dismissing the new variant as mild and emphasized that it could pose "very high" risk in the coming days, overwhelming the healthcare system.
Currently, the Omicron variant has impacted several countries including India. Although most cases of Omicron infection have been mild, reports of death have come to the forefront in the recent past.
New COVID variant that could pose possible threat
Given that viruses mutate, new variants will emerge from time to time. Just when we had begun understanding the Omicron variant, a new COVID-19 variant was detected in France.
Known as the IHU variant (B.1.640.2), it was detected by the academics at Institute IHU Mediterranee Infection. It is said to contain 46 mutations, which is even more than mutations in the Omicron, making it even more resistant to vaccines and infectious.
So far, at least 12 cases of the new variant have been reported near Marseilles. The infections have been associated with travel to the African country Cameroon.
Are the symptoms in new emerging variants different from the original strain?
As far as COVID-19 symptoms are concerned, irrespective of the emergence of the new variants, it remains to be the same in most cases.
The classic symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, and loss of sense of smell and taste. Severe symptoms linked to the SARs-COV-2 infections are shortness of breath, chest pain, low blood oxygen levels in the body and difficulty in breathing.
The new Omicron variant however is said to showcase unusual symptoms which have not been seen with the previous variants. 'Scratchy throat', extreme body pain, night sweats, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite are some of the new symptoms associated with the Omicron.