Kejriwal doesn't speak for India: Government as Singapore slams variant-remark
What's the story
A tweet from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sparked a "strong objection" from the authorities in Singapore and triggered a scathing reaction form India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. On Tuesday, Kejriwal had tweeted saying that a new strain of the coronavirus was taking hold in Singapore, after which the Singapore Government summoned the Indian envoy over the matter.
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'Irresponsible comments,' says External Affairs Minister
"Irresponsible comments from those who should know better can damage long-standing partnerships. So, let me clarify - Delhi CM does not speak for India," Jaishankar tweeted this morning. He added that India and Singapore are "solid partners" in the fight against COVID-19.
Details
There is no truth in this assertion: Singapore Embassy
"There is no truth in the assertion that there is a new COVID strain in Singapore. Phylogenetic testing has shown that the B.1.617.2 variant is the prevalent strain in many of the COVID cases, including in children, in recent weeks in Singapore," the Singapore Embassy had tweeted last night. The B.1.617 lineage of COVID-19 strains was first detected in India.
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What had Kejriwal tweeted?
In his tweet on Tuesday, Kejriwal had written in Hindi, "The new form of Corona that came to Singapore is said to be extremely dangerous for children. In India, it may come as a third wave (sic)." He also appealed to the central government to stop air travel to and from Singapore and look into vaccine options for children on priority.
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What is the B.1.617 lineage of the coronavirus?
The B.1.617 lineage of the coronavirus was first identified in India last October. Three sub-lineages have since been found. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the variant has spread to over 40 countries. The new variant is said to be highly-contagious and experts say it is partly responsible for India's devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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India hit hard by second wave of COVID-19
Kejriwal's tweet and the subsequent response came amid concerns over a possible third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several experts have said that it could be particularly dangerous for children. India has been troubled by a ferocious second wave of the coronavirus amid acute shortages of essential medical equipment. In the last 24 hours, India registered 4,529 fatalities - the country's deadliest day yet.