The recent discovery of two cases of the Kappa variant of Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has brought this particular strain into the global spotlight. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified the Kappa variant, along with the Delta variant, as two variations of the Covid-19 virus first identified in India. This unfolding scenario follows closely on the heels of the earlier report of a new Lambda variant that was discovered in Peru.
The Naming Controversy and Differentiation of Variants
When India objected to the B.1.617.1 mutant of the novel coronavirus being termed as the “Indian Variant”, the WHO initiated a system of naming these variants using Greek alphabets. Consequently, the ‘B.1.617.1’ and ‘B.1.617.2’ variants were christened as ‘Kappa’ and ‘Delta’ respectively. Noteworthy is the fact that these two variants – Kappa and Delta, share a common lineage. They are direct descendants of what was previously referred to as the double mutant, or B.1.617.
Understanding Key Terminologies
The WHO categorizes these variants under two broad classes – ‘variants of interest’ and ‘variants of concern’. The Kappa variant is currently classified as a ‘variant of interest’.
Variants of Interest Explained
Variants of interest are those SARS-CoV-2 variants which have genetic modifications known or predicted to impact virus characteristics, for instance, its transmissibility, disease severity, immune escape capacity, or diagnostic or therapeutic escape possibility. Besides Kappa, other examples include the Lambda, Iota, and Eta variants.
Defining Variants of Concern
On the other hand, variants of concern are those that show evidence of increased transmissibility, causing more severe disease (as indicated by a significant rise in hospitalizations or deaths), considerable reduction in neutralization by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines, or diagnostic detection failures. The Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta variants fall under this classification.
This straightforward categorization provides a helpful framework to track the progression and potential impact of different variants as the pandemic evolves. However, it is imperative to note that scientific understanding of these variants is continuously updated as more research and data become available.
