On Friday, the government of Uttar Pradesh released the genetic information of the first batch of the SARS-CoV-2 virus carried out atthe King George Medical University in Lucknow.
A total of 109 samples were observed out of which 107 wereexamined to be the fatal and widespread Delta Variant while the other two werethe Kappa Variant.
While the former is widely talked about because it is the mostdominant currently, among the Indian citizens, the Kappa variant is not a matterof discussion much. But that is only because it used to be known by a differentname earlier. Only a few weeks ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave itthe name Kappa. By now, its presence in the Indian population has declined.
So, what are the Delta and Kappa variants of Covid-19?
The Delta and Kappa forms of Covid-19 are actually interrelatedand are siblings, the direct successors of a variant that was earlier used tobe known as the double mutant, or B.1.617. Earlier, the predecessor ofcoronavirus was referred to by the name of the nation from where they first wereemerged. Thus, it was called by names such as “UK variant”, “South Africavariant”, and “Brazil variant”, while the double mutant was called the “Indiavariant”. To end the criteria linking viruses to specific countries, which wasgiving rise to blame game, the WHO named these variants after the letters ofthe Greek alphabet at the end of May.
But it was too late and by that time, the double mutant varianthad already mutated further into three different variants, which were referredto as B.1.617,1, B.1.617.2, and B.1.617.3.
The B.1.617.1 was named Kappa, while the B.1.617.2 becameDelta. No specific name was given to the B.1.617.3 because it was not sowidespread. The variant that emerged in the UK was termed Alpha; the variantfirst reported in South Africa became Beta; while the “Brazil variant” wasnamed Gamma. These names were given only for easy reference in public discussions.
The Kappa variant wasfound in a few samples in UP. It has been present in India for many monthsnow.
Also Read: After Delta Plus variant, UP confirms mutation of new ‘Kappa’ variant as one patient died of it
Is Kappa Variant a cause of concern?
The officials present in Uttar Pradesh said that the Kappa Variantwas detected in some samples which were collected from the same province earlieralso and is not a matter of concern.
The state’s Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Amit MohanPrasad said, “These are not a new variant so not of concern for us. We have hadcases of Kappa variant since April and there is nothing to worry about”
Previously also, the Kappa variant was announced as a lessdangerous type of Covid-19 than the widespread Delta variant by the state ofUttar Pradesh. This is another reason why slowly and steadily the cases ofDelta variant are decreasing.
According to thesources, the main cause of the second wave was the Delta Variant. The doublemutant was first detected from samples in Vidarbha. The B.1.617’s outbreak was faster than any other mutant which was found previously.
As a matter of fact, the WHO, Kappa variant is recognizedonly as a “variant of interest”, while the Delta variant is a “variant of concern” determiningthat it is a far bigger threat
The Delta variant initially began in Maharashtrabut it did spread in most of the other states in a short interval. The Kappavariant was also being discovered but its pervasiveness is far less than that of the former.