Amid claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the Indian Covid-19 variant has been found in 44 countries, the government today stated that the global health body has not classified this variant as "Indian". WHO has not associated the term "Indian Variant" with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in its 32-page document. In fact, the word "Indian" has not been used in its report on the matter, noted a release issued by the Health Ministry.

WHO has classified B.1.617 as a variant of global concern, but many reports termed the mutant as "Indian variant", which is unfounded and without any basis, the Centre said.

WHO has also put out a tweet with a clarification: "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."

Amid claims that the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the Indian Covid-19 variant has been found in 44 countries, the government today stated that the global health body has not classified this variant as "Indian". WHO has not associated the term "Indian Variant" with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in its 32-page document. In fact, the word "Indian" has not been used in its report on the matter, noted a release issued by the Health Ministry.

WHO has classified B.1.617 as a variant of global concern, but many reports termed the mutant as "Indian variant", which is unfounded and without any basis, the Centre said.

WHO has also put out a tweet with a clarification: "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."