NEW DELHI — India is battling a record-breaking rise in Covid-19 infections that has overwhelmed hospitals and led to severe bed and oxygen shortages.
A key question is whether a new variant with potentially worrying mutations — B.1.617 — is behind what is currently the world’s fastest-growing outbreak, which added more than 300,000 fresh infections Thursday.
The B.1.617 variant has already appeared elsewhere, including in the United States, Australia, Israel and Singapore. Concern about it has led some countries, including the UK, to slap travel restrictions on India.
Here’s what we know.
When did it emerge?
Viruses change all the time and the one that causes Covid-19…
Keep on reading: India’s COVID-19 surge and the new variant: What we know