'Mutations of COVID virus due to non-judicious use of therapies', says ICMR Chief

As countries begin to report cases of new strain of Coronavirus, ICMR Director-General Dr. Balram Bhargava has stated that virus mutations are a result of 'n-judicious use of rapies' that are in turn putting 'immune pressure on virus' causing it to mutate.

"Those rapies which are being touted as 'anti-viral' or 'anti-COVID rapies' and y do t have benefits established in a scientific research paper, those rapies should t be used as y will put tremendous immune pressure on virus and it will tend to mutate more, Dr Bhargava told news ncy ANI.

Re: Health Ministry Asserts 'vaccine To Work Against New COVID Strain, Evidence Of Failure'

Re: UK COVID Strain Detected In Eight European Countries, Says WHO's Regional Director

Dr. Bhargava remarked that while genetic mutations were fairly common in respiratory viruses, a higher transmissibility rate could be a point of concern. He also ded that immune pressure on virus could be related to environment apart from treatment and or modalities. "Genetic mutations occur in respiratory viruses and se mir drifts may occur from time to time but once several drifts occur it has higher transmissibility rate as it happened in United Kingdom. So that is a point of concern although we are testing in India for virus variants regularly, " he said. 

"So it is important for our scientific community also that we do t put too much immune pressure on virus and we have to maintain judicious use of rapies which are going to benefit. If benefit is t established, we should t use those rapies. Orwise, y will put tremendous immune pressure on virus and it will tend to mutate more," he ded. 

new strain of COVID-19 which was discovered in United Kingdom is said to be more transmissible than or SARS-CoV-2 variants, as per experts. ditionally, while it was detected in December, it is believed to have been present since September. Since discovery of new strain in UK, several or variants have been detected in or parts of world, including South Africa and Nigeria. India has detected six cases of mutated strain to date. 

Re: 6 Mutated Covid-19 Cases From UK Detected In India; Put Under Isolation & Contact-traced

Re: Health Ministry Asserts 'vaccine To Work Against New COVID Strain, Evidence Of Failure'

(With ncy Inputs)