New Delhi (NVI): The World Health Organisation (WHO) today made it clear that it never used any term like ‘Indian variant’ for Covid-19 mutants found in the country.
Commenting on the usage of the term ‘Indian variant’ in various media reports, the global health body tweeted, “WHO does not identify viruses or variants with names of countries they are first reported from. We refer to them by their scientific names and request all to do the same for consistency.”
Several media reports had quoted the WHO as terming the B.1.617 as an ‘Indian Variant” which is a “global concern”. The variant has caused mayhem across the country.
The Union Health Ministry also said that the WHO has not associated the term ‘Indian Variant’ with B.1.617.
“This is to clarify that WHO has not associated the term ‘Indian Variant’ with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in its 32-page document. These media reports are without any basis, and unfounded,” the Ministry said in a statement.
“In fact, the word ‘Indian’ has not been used in its report on the matter,” it added.
