The World Health Organization says it is now closely monitoring the spread of the new variant of Covid-19, first been detected in India.

Infectious-disease expert and Covid-19 Technical Lead at the WHO, Dr. Maria van Kerkhove says the B.1.617-variant has now been classified as a variant of concern.

Van Kerkhove says preliminary studies indicate that variant is more contagious than other newly-documented variants of Covid-19.

The #SARSCoV2 virus variant B.1.617 is currently listed as a variant of interest but is being evaluated as a potential variant of concern by @WHO & our evolution working group

We are grateful for the ongoing work around to monitor & study VOI/VOC#COVID19 @WHO @DrTedros pic.twitter.com/CUDd4ue1ZW

— Maria Van Kerkhove (@mvankerkhove) May 9, 2021