Britain Concerned by India Covid Mutation: Johnson Cancels Delhi Trip 

By Staff, Agencies 

British scientists cautioned that the variant of Covid-19 that first emerged in India and was detected in the UK last week is expected to become a “variant of concern.” 

Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London, told Good Morning Britain on Monday that escalating the Indian variant of the virus to a “variant of concern” would lead to place India on the government’s “red list” of hotel quarantine countries.

Meanwhile, British PM Boris Johnson’s planned visit to India next week has been cancelled because of the country’s escalating coronavirus crisis, a joint statement by the UK and India has announced.

“In the light of the current coronavirus situation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be able to travel to India next week,” said the statement, released by Downing Street.

“Instead, Prime Ministers [Narendra] Modi and Johnson will speak later this month to agree and launch their ambitious plans for the future partnership between the UK and India. They will remain in regular contact beyond this, and look forward to meeting in person later this year.”

As late as Friday, Downing Street had insisted the trip would go ahead. However, Johnson had come under increasing pressure to call it off.

Johnson said it was frustrating to have to call off the trip but said much of the work could be done remotely before they were able to meet in the future.