COVID-19: New coronavirus variant N440K spreading more in Southern states, finds CCMB study

A new study conducted by scientists of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has revealed that new COVID-19 variant N440K is spreading more in southern states. CCMB director Rakesh Mishra said in a released that strict monitoring is required to understand the spread of N440K properly.

The study also showed that the COVID-19 mutants, which have left many nations worried, have been identified with only a low prevalence in India so far, but it is quite likely that that enough sequencing of coronavirus has not been done in India.

“We now have emerging evidence that N440K (variant) is spreading a lot more in southern states. Closer surveillance is needed to understand its spread properly, Mishra said in the release. 

Notably, CCMB has been at the forefront of sequencing and analyzing the genome of the coronavirus SARS- CoV-2 in India.

The CCMB said in its release that it is extremely important to detect the new variants accurately and on time to curb the spread of the new variants in thec country.

The study noted that while vaccines are helpful against COVID-19, precautions such as masks, hand-hygiene and physical distance is the best way to fight against the pandemic.

The scientists at CCMB presented their findings of analysis of over 5,000 coronavirus variants and the evolution of the COVID-19 variants over the course of the pandemic.