IronNoggin
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COVID-19: Double mutant virus first identified in India is now in B.C.
A COVID-19 variant linked to record-breaking case numbers in India has been identified in B.C.In a prepared statement, a B.C. Ministry of Health official said that 39 cases of the double mutation known as B.1.617 had been found in the province.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the news of the variant’s arrival was “concerning” and that the B.C. government had some issues with the implementation of the federal government’s quarantine program.
There have been at least 10 flights arrive in Vancouver from Delhi, India, since April 6 with COVID-infected people on board.
According to Bloomberg, the new variant was initially detected in India with two separate mutations and one of those mutations (L452R) is characterized in U.S studies to increase viral transmission by around 20 per cent and reduce antibody efficacy by more than 50 per cent.

COVID-19: Double mutant virus first identified in India is now in B.C.
More information expected at the end of this week, including the number and nature of the B 1.617 cases identified so far.
Related:
Ottawa consulting on stricter border measures, won't stop flights from India
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is indicating the federal government is looking at additional COVID-19 measures to protect international borders but won’t stop flights into Canada from India.India continues to be a COVID-19 crisis point with the world’s second most populous nation reporting 295,041 new infections on Wednesday. It was the world’s highest daily rise and is stretching that country’s hospitals to breaking point.
CFOX
