The World Health Organisation has said that a variant of Covid-19 that was first detected in India has been found in dozens of countries across the world and it is transmitting more easily than the original virus.
The agency said the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19 had been detected in more than 4,500 samples "from 44 countries in all six WHO regions,” according to AFP. Apart from India, Britain had reported the highest number of Covid cases caused by the variant.
The WHO listed B.1.617 as a “variant of concern” earlier this week and said its spread, alongside other more variants, seemed to be one of the reasons behind India's deadly second wave.
In India, mucormycosis or “black fungus” in Covid-19 patients have become an added cause of worry as several states report a rise in cases. Mucormycosis is a rare but serious fungal infection, and can cause loss of sight.
Meanwhile, the United States has begun inoculating children as young as 12 after Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine was authorised for emergency use in that age group.
