Top scientists identify 3 reasons behind the Covid-19 surge in India

India’s Covid-19 cases are flaring up sharply. Today for the seventh consecutive day, the country reported more than 1 lakh cases in the last 24 hours. Although there are no clear answers behind the surge, but top scientists have cited three reasons.

1) The complex interplay of mutant strains

In late March, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced that a new variant had been identified in samples of saliva taken from people in Maharashtra, Delhi and Punjab. The genome sequencing carried out by Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) identified two important mutations in the variant dubbed as “double mutant”.

“A new double mutant has emerged in India and is reported in 15-20 per cent of cases analysed from Maharashtra. If this percentage goes up further, it would be a clear indication of its role in the Maharashtra surge,” virologist Shahid Jameel told news agency PTI.

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2) Lowering of guard

Virologists Shahid Jameel and T Jacob John are agreed that not following COVID-19 protocol is also on of the reasons. The fact that people lowered the guard and didn’t follow Covid protocols after the first wave was over is “certainly one valid explanation” for the surge, Jameel said.

“Everything opening up to pre-Covid levels and behaviour that was no longer risk-averse exposed the susceptible population in a big way. A new factor is emerging mutants -- both imported and homegrown,” the eminent virologist added.

“The two factors came together and we were leaderless in response at the critical time. The speed of spread in the second wave is twice as fast as in the first wave. Partly due to variants and partly lowering of the guard,” John explained.

3) Vaccination Drive

Talking about the vaccination drive, Jameel said the government needs to speed it up. “For various reasons, those eligible, including healthcare and frontline workers, were hesitant to get vaccines. Those above 60 also did not show enough eagerness even though cases had started going up by early March. Now we are on a very fast rising curve with only 0.7 per cent Indians having received both doses and only about 5 per cent having received one dose. That is too low to make an impact,” said Jameel.

Covid-19 India tally

With over 1.61 lakh new coronavirus cases, the total number of cases has gone up to 1,36,89,453, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

With the country reporting 1,61,736 new COVID-19 cases, the total number of cases has gone up to 1,36,89,453.

In the last 24 hours, 879 COVID-related deaths were reported in the country. This takes the COVID death toll to 1,71,058.

The active number of cases stands at 12,64,698.