For the first time 7 cases of an Indian mutation of the Corona virus were identified in Israel

The Ministry of Health announced that for the first time seven cases of an Indian mutation of the Corona virus were identified in Israel among unvaccinated citizens who returned from abroad. The ministry said there was still no clear information regarding this variant and its implications for the vaccinated and recovering.
The cases were identified using the National Genomic Flooring Array. In its announcement, the Ministry of Health emphasized the importance of isolating returnees from abroad to Israel, especially from countries where morbidity in Corona is severe.
Prof. Galia Rahav, director of the infectious diseases unit at Sheba, noted that "there are endless variants. It is a mutation that no one knows what it means, whether it is more contagious, more violent or harms the infected. However, it is something new that is penetrating. It could be "It has no meaning, and my personal concern is from the Brazilian variant. This mutation is not known but that is not why in India the virus has spread more. It is predictable, and what worries me is that everyone thinks masks are no longer needed."
The American TWC channel reported this week that the Indian mutation, which is considered a "double mutation" and is officially called "B.1.617", was first diagnosed in late March - and has already spread to at least eight countries: about 70% of cases are in India, 23% in the UK, 2% in Singapore and 1% in Australia. Mutation infections have also been identified in the United States.
This is the first strain of the corona with a mutation that evolved at two different locations in the outer protein of the virus, called Spike.
The latest update on the deployment of variants in Israel was published on March 16, and still does not include the same Indian mutation. According to estimates by the Ministry of Health then and now, about 90 percent of those infected were diagnosed with the British variant and as a percentage with the South African variant. A particularly low number of cases of infections in other variants was also diagnosed.
Last night, a year and three days after the directive to wear masks in the public space on the nose and mouth began, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein instructed the director of his office, Prof. Hezi Levy, to sign the order that will allow people to walk around without masks in an open area this coming Sunday.
The Ministry of Health stated that the directive came out after the position of the professionals regarding the low morbidity was accepted, but emphasize that in a closed area one must still wear a mask.
India has recently suffered an accelerated outbreak of the virus and its cumulative number of infections stands at 14.3 million - second only to the US (about 32 million cases). The death toll from corona in India stands at more than 174,000. Last month the Ministry of Health in India reported A variant that includes two genetic changes - expressing a kind of "union" between two variants that were previously known as E484Q and L452R. However, samples collected across India have shown that the most dominant variant in the country is British, so it is estimated that the new variant Morbidity in the country.
The head of the fight against corona, Prof. Nachman Ash, said this morning that there is a concern in the health system towards the renewal of corona vaccines after the effect of the first vaccination campaign has passed. "We have enough doses to complete the first operation of the vaccines, ie two doses per citizen. We do not yet have an agreement and we do not have doses for the continuation (for the third vaccine), and that is what we are worried about," Ash said in an interview with Gali Tzahal.
He added that he believes that agreements will soon be signed with the companies Pfizer and Moderna regarding the continued supply of vaccines. "We also want to ensure that there will be doses, even if there is an upgraded vaccine for new variants - that we will have this vaccine. I hope it will close very soon," he said. "The Ministry of Health is in contact with Pfizer regarding the details of the agreement, the matter of the budget remains to be closed and I hope that it will also be closed."
CNBC reported yesterday that Pfizer CEO Albert Burla estimated that the vaccine was valid for 12 months from receiving the second dose. In an interview, Burla said that an annual vaccine against the virus may be required.