New mutation of Delta variant detected in Nepal

Photo: WHO

NL Today

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Kathmandu: The Ministry of Health and Population has stated that a new mutation of Delta variant of coronavirus has been detected in Nepal.

Issuing a press statement, the Ministry said that a new mutation was confirmed when genome sequencing of 48 samples was conducted in India.

Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has been confirmed in 47 samples and Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) in one sample. Out of the delta variant, K417N mutation was detected in nine samples. The mutation has been so far detected in over 10 countries including Nepal, according to the Ministry. The genome sequencing was conducted at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology.

Earlier, in a genome sequencing conducted in India, three variants of coronavirus — Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Kappa (B.1.617.1) — were detected in Nepal.

The Ministry has urged one and all to comply with the health safety protocols to prevent infection from the new mutated form of the Delta variant novel coronavirus.