by: david carrigg
latest b.c. centre for disease control figures show that 306 cases of a highly-contagious covid-19 variant devastating india have appeared in the province.
the bccdc’s latest weekly update on variants of concern reported the b.1.617 mutation for the first time since the world health organization upgraded it from a variant of interest to a variant of concern a week ago.
the report states 306 cases have been identified through genome sequencing, well below the 6,348 cases of the predominant b.1.1.7 variant and 4,427 cases of the p. 1 variant. there are now four variants of concern circulating in b.c.
however, despite these relatively low numbers identified through additional testing, the bccdc believes variants now make up 83 per cent of all new cases in the province.
variants of concern are mutations of the original covid-19 virus that circulated last year and are considered more dangerous because they spread more easily and may be resistant to vaccines.
the b.1.617 variant was discovered in b.c. in early april and numbers have risen ten times since then.
on monday, provincial health officer dr. bonnie henry said reports out of the u.k. and india indicated the b.1.617 variant was more transmissible.