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Emergence of COVID-19 Variants and Its Global Impact

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Frontiers of COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 has led to an unprecedented impact in terms of disease morbidity as well as mortality. Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 have led to the emergence of viral variants throughout the globe after the first wave of the pandemic in early 2020. Multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported with the B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), and B1.167.2 (Delta) being the major “variants of concern” owing to its increased transmission rates and greater virulence. These variants seem to spread more easily and quickly than other variants leading to higher number of cases of COVID-19, greater hospitalizations and potentially more deaths. These newer and more lethal variants have a survival advantage in terms of higher affinity for the host receptors, faster replication rates and immune escape. Emergence of these novel variants have led to multiple issues such as diagnostic difficulties, varied presentation, rapid spread with severe disease with worse outcomes. Another issue with these emerging variants is the ability of immune escape leading to breakthrough infections following vaccination or after a prior infection with SARS CoV-2. Genomic sequencing plays an important role in identification of novel variants which evolve over a period of time. Variants such as B.1.1.7 and B.1.617.2 due to their higher transmissibility can easily overrun the existing public health infrastructure leading to a catastrophe as experienced in the deadly second wave of the pandemic in UK and India. Emergence of these novel variants has to be tackled through global efforts which would include greater genomic sequencing and reducing the disease transmission thus decreasing chances of viral mutation. This has to be complemented by rapid large-scale vaccinations especially in high-risk individuals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Shekhar Kunal

  2. Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Pranav Ish

  3. Department of Pathology, Holy Family Hospital, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Aditi

  4. Department of Medicine, SG Diabetes Center, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Kashish Gupta

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  1. Shekhar Kunal
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  2. Pranav Ish
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  3. Aditi
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  4. Kashish Gupta
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Information Technology, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Sasan Adibi

  2. School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Paul Griffin

  3. Clinical - Vaccines, Clover Biopharmaceuticals, Zürich, Switzerland

    Melvin Sanicas

  4. Inflammation Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Maryam Rashidi

  5. Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

    Francesco Lanfranchi

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Kunal, S., Ish, P., Aditi, Gupta, K. (2022). Emergence of COVID-19 Variants and Its Global Impact. In: Adibi, S., Griffin, P., Sanicas, M., Rashidi, M., Lanfranchi, F. (eds) Frontiers of COVID-19. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08045-6_9

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