India detects a new variant of coronavirus in the middle of a second wave 

India, one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, announced on Wednesday the discovery of a new variant of the virus. This new strain, detected in the western region of Maharashtra and which has already reached the capital, New Delhi, is said to be a "double mutation". Maharashtra is home to the country's financial capital and has been the state most affected by the recent surge in cases. Epidemiologists refer to this strain as a "double mutant" because it is a variant that has characteristics of two already identified variants. "The new variant found in India has two mutations in the protein spicules by which the virus attaches to cells," said Dr Rakesh Mishra, director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. In India, in addition to this new strain, 736 cases of the British variant, 34 of the South African variant and one of the Brazilian variant have been found.

While most mutations in viruses do not cause changes in the way they are transmitted, some variants such as the one in the UK or South Africa can transform the virus and make it more infectious. Indian health authorities are investigating how this new variant may affect the virus, whether it can be more infectious and lethal. India, like many other countries, is undergoing its vaccination process, so it is necessary to know whether the vaccines will be less effective because of this new strain. "Is there any reason to be concerned about this particular variant? Not yet because we have no evidence that these variants are more transmissible or lethal than what we already have," said Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy in New Delhi. The government announced an expansion of the vaccination process in early March. After immunising 14 million health workers and frontline workers against the pandemic, the country began vaccinating the population over 60 years of age. India expects to immunise 300 million citizens in the first half of the year.

More than 150,000 people have died in India since the start of the pandemic. Although the situation stabilised in September and cases declined, it is now facing a second wave of infection. "Although a new double mutant variant has been found in India, it has not been detected in sufficient quantities to establish a direct link or explain the rapid increase in cases," the health ministry said in a statement.

The country's authorities have also expressed concern about upcoming spring festivities, such as the Holi festival. Faced with the increase in cases and the discovery of this new strain, the government is considering new restrictions. According to India's National Institute of Immunology, this second wave is affecting wealthier parts of the country. "Now people are less afraid and are letting their guard down," said Dr Vineeta Bal. In the first phase of the pandemic, the country's poorest neighbourhoods were the hardest hit because of difficult isolation and poor hygiene conditions. According to India's National Institute of Epidemiology, by July 2020, some areas of Mumbai could have achieved herd immunity. Fifty-seven per cent of people surveyed in the slums of Dahisar, Chembur and Matunga had antibodies in their blood, compared to 14 per cent in Stockholm in May.