Delta variant of coronavirus's sub-lineages -- AY.1 and AY.2 -- are unlikely to be more transmissible than Delta, said Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics, or INSACOG. INSACOG is a consortium of government panel involved in genome sequencing of Covid-19.
INSACOG also said that AY.3 has been identified as a new sub-lineage of Delta and it is defined by 'ORF1a:I3731V common AY.1 mutations except for S:417'.
It is primarily seen in America with a single reclassified case in the UK and India. There are no known significant properties of this mutation but since it is a Delta VOC sub-lineage, INSACOG will continue to monitor it, a recent bulletin stated.
"It is likely that neither AY.1 nor AY.2 is more transmissible than Delta. They also continue to be below 1% in available sequences from June in India," the INSACOG said.
INSACOG is also tracking the status and spread of Delta plus variant of Covid-19. The Delta Plus is a "variant of concern".
INSACOG was set up by the government on 25 December last year to study and monitor genome sequencing and virus variation of circulating strains of coronavirus in India.
