AP Rules Out N440K Strain of Coronavirus in State

8 May, 2021 11:28 IST|Sakshi Post

The number of COVID-related deaths is increasing in the country and Indian scientists are working hard to decode the potential threat of the new variants of coronavirus that are emerging in the second wave. Earlier, news broke out stating the new mutant N440K was found in South India and is more infectious than certain strains now in circulation.

 It is said that this mutant N440K  found in some regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, is spreading fast to other parts of the country as well. As per reports one-third of the infections in the two Telugu states are caused due to this variant in the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.

The health department of Andhra Pradesh dismissed all the rumours and said that there is no scientific evidence to establish the fact that the new mutant was more infectious than the other variants. The department in a release said that N440K strain of Coronavirus was detected in June-July 2020 from the samples of AP, Telangana and Karnataka. 

It further stated that, "This strain was prevalent in December 2020 and January and February 2021 and dropped down drastically in March and now the share of N440K among the positives is very minimal."

In the release, it was also mentioned that the experiments are being carried out in CCMB, Hyderabad and stated that it is important to remember that just because a variant behaves a certain way in cell cultures and it doesn't mean it will behave the same way in humans.

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