WHO currently has no data about Indian coronavirus strain’s contagiousness — envoy - TASS

The World Health Organization (WHO) currently has no information indicating that the novel coronavirus strain discovered in India last month is more contagious than other strains, the WHO representative to Russia, Melita Vujnovic, told the Rossiya-24 TV channel in an interview.

"So far, it is yet unclear whether the surge in cases and mortality in India, declared by the Indian healthcare, is caused by this particular virus, or is just a result of people gathering in large crowds. And, of course, the Indian [healthcare] system is overloaded now," Vujnovic said.

"I hope we get a clearer picture by the end of the week," she added.

At the end of March, India’s Health Ministry said a new variety of the coronavirus with mutations E484Q and L452R in the S protein had been identified. 

The existence of both mutations, which were earlier identified in other variants of the virus around the world, looks particularly alarming. These mutations are found in about 15%-20% samples and are not observed in the British, South African and Brazilian strains.