The World Health Organziation said on Monday that the B.1.617 or the Indian coronavirus variant was being classified as a variant of global concern.
WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, said there is some available information to suggest increased transmissibility and also possibly some increased resistance to vaccine protections in the cases of variant first found in India.
Despite the precautions, however, South Africa, on Monday reported four cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus.