11
5 月
5 月
（日内瓦11日综合电）世界卫生组织（WHO）周一正式将最早在印度出现的变种冠病病毒株B.1.617，列为“全球关切”的变种病毒。一些初步研究显示这个变种毒株可以更迅速传播。
B.1.617是第四个被世卫列为全球关切的冠病病毒变种。前3个分别在英国、南非和巴西首次被发现。
世卫卫生紧急项目技术主管范科霍夫周一表示，初步数据显示，在印度首先发现的B.1.617变种病毒，传染力增强，在全球层面令人忧虑。不过，现在就认定B.1.617变种病毒能突破现有冠病疫苗的防护仍为时过早。
世卫首席科学家斯瓦米纳坦表示，印度正进行研究，评估这种变种病毒的传染力、严重程度及对已接种疫苗人士的影响，强调现有的疫苗、诊断和治疗方式对变种病毒仍然有效。
目前B.1.617已经扩散到其他国家。包括大马在内的许多国家对印度航班采取了限制入境的措施。
新闻来源： 星洲日报
WHO labels a Covid strain in India as a ‘variant of concern’
- Early studies that have yet to be peer-reviewed suggest increased transmissibility and reduced neutralization, the UN health agency said.
- While mutations may make the variant more contagious, other factors such as mass rallies and religious festivals that drew millions have also been blamed for India’s second wave of infections.
As the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified B.1.617 variant of coronavirus that was firstly reported from India –as a variant of concern– the country has aggressively initiated clinical studies to ascertain if the strain is behind the exponential surge of fresh covid-19 cases.
The Indian Council of Medical Research has said that variant is highly transmissible but if it’s virulent enough to cause a rapid surge in covid-19 cases is not sure. “The variant was firstly reported from India but it was simultaneously also reported in other parts of the world. It may be highly transmissible, but there is no clinical data to show that it is highly virulent. Epidemiological studies show that it is transmissible but we need to conduct more studies to prove its virulence and causative of the rise in covid-19 numbers,” said Dr. Samiran Panda, head, epidemiology, and communicable diseases, ICMR. He added that Covaxin can neutralise the B1617 variant.
