The Centre on Tuesday informed that it has found two specific variants of SARS-CoV-2 -- N440K and E484K -- circulating in three states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana, which have been detected with high number of mutations. However, no causal link between these two variants and the outbreak in Kerala and Maharashtra have been established so far, it added.

"The genome sequencing of positive patients have confirmed two variants which are detected with a larger number mutations than the one dominating the country. They are found circulating in Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana," informed V.K. Paul, Member (health), NITI Aayog, and head of the National Task Force on Covid-19.