A new and slightly modified version of the Delta variant of the coronavirus is spreading to a number of countries including the United Kingdom, the United States and India, health officials say.
This type, which is attracting global media attention, is called B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 - Delta Plus for short, and is a version of the Delta variant first discovered in India.
It was first reported by Public Health in England, a government health agency, on 11 June. But some of the first UK cases were spotted on April 26 - suggesting the variant may have been present and spreading in the spring.
All variants carry groups of mutations. Delta Plus has an additional mutation called K417N, which distinguishes it from the regular Delta variant. This mutation affects the "spike" protein, the part of the virus that attaches to the cells it infects.
Health experts are investigating whether Delta Plus may be more transmissible than other types like the Alpha or Delta variants - but it is too early to say for sure what its effects could be.
Burimet: CNN, Indian Express
