Thiruvananthapuram, April 27 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said the presence of the genetically mutant COVID virus (double mutant variant) on a large scale is found in the State.

Addressing a press conference here this evening, the CM said the information about the presence of genetically modified viruses in the State is being taken seriously. The risk assessment study conducted on the three genetically modified viruses found in Kerala evaluated the spread of the disease, the risk of death and the ability to make the vaccine ineffective, he added.

“Accordingly, they have been found to accelerate the spread of the disease. Another issue is whether mutated viruses increase mortality? If the number of patients increases more than what our health system can handle, the situation will turn awful. We need to strictly follow the disease preventive measures to avoid such a situation,” the CM said.(UNI)