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WHO classifies India variant as being of global concern

The B.1.617 variant is the fourth variant to be designated as being of global concern and requiring heightened tracking and analysis.

The others are those first detected in Britain, South Africa and Brazil.

"We are classifying this as a variant of concern at a global level," Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, told a briefing. "There is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility."