A new Covid variant that needs more antibodies to fight it and has more severe symptoms has been found by the National Institute of Virology in Pune. The variant - B.1.1.28.2 - was detected in samples from two travellers from Brazil but not from anyone in India.
The new variant is seen to have "increased severity" and higher levels of antibodies are needed to neutralise the B.1.1.28.2 variant, NIV sources told NDTV. The strain was found in people who came from Brazil and the UK.
"We found it earlier but it is not in circulation in the country now so we do not see it as a matter of public health importance," the sources said.
Meanwhile, forty-four crore doses of Covid vaccines will be made available to the country from August, the government today said amid a raging shortage that has forced a closure of vaccine centres in many states. These doses will be delivered between August and December 2021, the Union Health Ministry said.
The health ministry announcement -- that orders have been placed for 25 crore doses of Covishield and 19 crore doses of Covaxin to achieve universalization of vaccination -- came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a fresh vaccine policy.
The new policy takes back the onus of vaccine purchase from the states. The finance ministry said today that the new programme will cost around Rs 50,000 crore and the Centre has the necessary funds.
India reported less than one lakh new coronavirus infections after a gap of 63 days, while the daily positivity rate dropped to 4.62 per cent, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
A single day rise of 86,498 cases were registered, the lowest in 66 days, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,89,96,473,
The COVID-19 death count climbed to 3,51,309 with 2,123 daily deaths, the lowest in around 47 days, the data updated at 8 am showed.
A total of 81,466 new cases were recorded in a span of 24 hours on April 2.
Also, 18,73,485 tests were conducted on Monday taking the total cumulative tests conducted so far for detection of COVID-19 in the country to 36,82,07,596.
The daily positivity rate has dropped to 4.62 per cent . It has been less than 10 per cent for 15 consecutive days, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre is taking back vaccine-buying from states, the Finance Ministry said the programme will cost around ₹ 50,000 crore and the government has the money.
"We don't need to go for the supplementary grants immediately as there are enough funds. We may have to go for this in the second round, near the winter session of Parliament. At present we have the money," Finance Ministry sources said.
