Bangladesh detects 4 Covid-19 variants so far

At least four variants including Indian one have been detected in Bangladesh so far.

These are–UK variant (B.1.1.7); South Africa variant (B.1.351); Nigeria variant (B.1.525) and India variant (B.1.617.2).

The information has been revealed by a recent study jointly conducted by the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), iccddr,b and Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (IDSHI).

Researchers resolved genome sequencing on around 200 Covid-19 samples.

On 17 May, IEDCR published the study report on its website.

According to IEDCR, the India variant was detected in Covid-19 samples from six among 26 people who travelled from India in April.

The World Health Organization declared the India variant as the ‘Variant of Concern’. So far, the India variant was detected in 44 countries.

The six coronavirus-infected people visited Chennai, Bengaluru, Haryana and West Bengal of India for medical treatment. All of them aged between 7 and 75, are members of a same family.

IEDCR officials said the India variant’s genome sequence has been sent to the global database GISAID.