Covid-19 variant from India found in at least 53 territories: WHO
GENEVA : The coronavirus variant first detected in India has now been officially recorded in 53 territories, a World Health Organisation (WHO) report showed yesterday.
Additionally, the WHO has received information from unofficial sources that the B1617 variant has been found in seven other territories, figures in its weekly epidemiological update showed, taking the total to 60.
The report said B1617 had shown increased transmissibility, while disease severity and risk of infection were under investigation.
Globally over the past week, the number of new cases and deaths continued to decrease, with around 4.1 million new cases and 84,000 new deaths reported - a 14 per cent and 2 per cent decrease respectively compared with the previous week.
"Despite a declining global trend over the past four weeks, incidence of Covid-19 cases and deaths remain high, and substantial increases have been observed in many countries throughout the world," the document said.
The report said virus evolution is expected, and the more Sars-CoV-2 circulates, the more opportunities it has to evolve.
"Reducing transmission through established and proven disease-control methods... are crucial aspects of the global strategy to reduce the occurrence of mutations that have negative public health implications," the report said.
Meanwhile, the US and other countries called for a more in-depth probe into the pandemic's origins, after an international mission to China earlier this year proved inconclusive.
Addressing the WHO's annual meeting of member states, representatives from several countries stressed the continued need to solve the mystery of how Covid-19 first began spreading among humans.
"We underscore the importance of a robust comprehensive and expert-led inquiry into the origins of Covid-19," US representative Jeremy Konyndyk told the World Health Assembly.
The European Union, Australia, Britain and Japan were among others to call for more progress on the investigation. - AFP
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