Three cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in India have been detected in Ireland.
The B.1.617 was first identified in the Maharashtra region of India earlier this year and now accounts for around 60% of cases there.
It has two key mutations and scientists are investigating whether they make the variant more resistant to vaccines.
Some 77 new cases of the variant have also been detected in the UK and India has since been placed on the UK’s red list for travel.
Speaking at this evening’s public health briefing in Dublin, the chair of the COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group Dr Cillian de Gascun said it has not yet been designated a ‘variant of concern’ by Irish officials.
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Three cases of variant first seen in India confirmed
Updated / Tuesday, 20 Apr 2021
08:20
The five-day moving average of cases now stands at 364 cases per day
From cases of the variant first detected in India reported in Ireland to a drop in disease activity, here are five things we learned from today s Covid-19 briefing.
Three cases of variant first seen in India confirmed
Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory Dr Cillian de Gascun said that there have been three cases of the recent variant first identified in India.
Dr De Gascun said at least two of them are associated with travel.
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