Vaccine-Resistant Epsilon Variant of Covid-19 Detected in Pakistan, Raises Alarm For India

Researchers have said that the Epsilon strain of Covid-19 is resistant to all available vaccines.

New Delhi: Another variant of coronavirus, Epsilon, which was first identified in California in 2020, has reached closer to home. The highly transmissible covid variant has been recently detected in Pakistan, making it a cause of concern for India, which shares its border with the country. Researchers have said that the Epsilon strain of Covid-19 is resistant to all available vaccines.

Punjab health authorities have been alerted amid a massive spike in cases in Pakistan. At least five cases of the Epsilon variant were detected in Lahore, the Dawn reported.

All You Need to Know About Epsilon Variant

Although it is not a new variant, Epsilon strain – also known as the CAL.20C – is believed to be the second-most active covid variant in New York, USA. It has, however, reached South Asia for the first time.

The Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) had earlier declared it a ‘’Variant of Concern’ but was later revised to a ‘Variant of Interest’. However, on July 6, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated it under ‘alerts for further monitoring’.

Epsilon variant has also been identified in 34 nations apart from the US.

Epsilon Variant: A Major Concern

According to a study at the University of Washington, the variant has been found to be 20 per cent more transmissible than the preceding covid strains. The Epsilon variant is said to be almost as highly transmissible as the Delta variant, which raged during the second wave of pandemic in India.

The Epsilon variant is also being seen as the cause for the fourth wave of coronavirus pandemic in Pakistan, triggering an alarm for India amid predictions of a third wave.

As on Sunday morning, Pakistan logged 5,029 Covid-19 cases, the highest since April 29, when the country reported a total of 5,112 infections.