- The South African and Brazilian mutant strains of coronavirus have entered the Indian territory, apart from the UK variant reported in 187 people so far.
- All five have been quarantined. The South Africa strain has been detected in four returnees — one from Angola, one from Tanzania, and two from South Africa in January.
- The Brazil variant has shown mutations in the receptor binding domain of the spike protein and increased transmissibility has caused it to spread to 15 countries so far.