'Double mutant' Covid variant found in India

A new "double mutant" variant of the coronavirus has been detected from samples collected in India.

BBC News reports officials are checking if the variant, where two mutations come together in the same virus, maybe more infectious or less affected by vaccines.

Some 10,787 samples from 18 Indian states also showed up 771 cases of known variants - 736 of the UK, 34 of the South African and one Brazilian.

Officials told the BBC that the variants are not linked to a spike in cases in India.

India has reported 47,262 cases and 275 deaths today - the sharpest daily rise this year.