“We will select random samples of 5% of Covid patients. This will also include UK returnees,” said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer, Gurgaon.
According to the guidelines, one of the most significant mutations is an N501Y mutation as it spikes the protein that the virus uses to bind to the human ACE2 receptor. Changes in this part of the spike protein may result in the virus becoming more infectious and spreading more easily between people. Thus, the health department is taking all precautions.
Several doctors said that this particular UK strain is spreading very fast because it has certain mutations which make it high in virulence and the concentration of virus is extremely high compared to other Covid viruses. Dr P Venkata Krishnan of Paras Hospital said, “This particular UK virus, which is also a variant of normal Covid virus, is going by the name B117. It’s affecting children and adults equally. This way it’s spread is much faster than Covid-19.”