Delta AY.4.2 mutation gets ‘Variant Under Investigation’ tag in UK due to high growth rate - India Today

A new mutation of the Delta variant of Covid-19 which was being monitored and assessed in the UK has now been classed as a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) amid concerns of its increased growth rate, with experts warning it is a reminder that the pandemic is not over.

AY.4.2, dubbed "Delta Plus" and now named VUI-21OCT-01 by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has been under closer scrutiny in recent days after evidence indicated that it spread more quickly than the dominant Delta variant?

"The Delta variant sub-lineage known as Delta AY.4.2 was designated a Variant Under Investigation by the UK Health Security Agency on 20 October 2021 and has been given the official name VUI-21OCT-01," the UKHSA said.

According to official statistics, the original Delta variant first identified in India and later classed as Variant of Concern (VOC) in the UK remains overwhelmingly dominant in the UK, making up approximately 99.8 per cent of all cases.

In the last week, VUI-21OCT-01 accounted for approximately 6 per cent of all Delta cases -- confirmed through whole genome sequencing in all nine regions of England.

"The genome of VUI-21OCT-01 does not have many mutations compared to Delta.

As is routine for any new VUI, the UKHSA said it is carrying out laboratory and epidemiological investigations to better understand the properties of this variant.

“Viruses mutate often and at random, and it is not unexpected that new variants will continue to arise as the pandemic goes on, particularly while the case rate remains high,” said Dr Jenny Harries, UKHSA Chief Executive.

“It is testament to the diligence and scientific expertise of my colleagues at UKHSA, and the genomic sequencing capacity developed through the pandemic, that this new variant has been identified and analysed so quickly.