India's surging COVID-19 outbreak includes new 'double mutant' variant


India's health ministry reported 103,558 new COVID-19 cases Monday, making India the second country to top 100,000 new cases in a single day. The other country to hit that level, the U.S, recorded more than 200,000 cases a day through much of December. India is inoculating more than 2 million people a day, but with 1.3 billion people, that works out to only 5 percent of its population getting a first dose of vaccine. India, a major vaccine manufacturing hub, slowed down exports of vaccine to focus on immunizing its population.
The epicenter of India's outbreak is Maharashtra state, home to Mumbai, which reported 57,074 new cases Sunday and ordered weekend lockdowns and nightly curfews in response. Some public health experts blame the mounting cases on erosion of the immunity acquired from previous infections, changed behavior, and deadlier and more contagious new variants. About 20 percent of new cases in Maharashtra have been found to include a new "double mutant" variant, which includes the E484Q and L452R mutations, according to India's health ministry.
Louisiana State University virologist Dr. Jeremy Kamil told BBC News he doesn't think the new double variant is more deadly or necessarily more transmissible. India's government says the variants are probably not responsible for the sharp rise in cases.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
June 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons include war on a loop, the New York City mayoral race, and one almighty F-bomb
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments