N440K strain, also known as B.1.36, was detected in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana last year. However, its impact has suddenly dropped in March, and now "the share among the positives is very minimal", according to CCMB institute.Advisor to CCMB in a tweet said, "N440K variant of SARS-CoV-2 is diminishing and likely to disappear soon".COVID Command Centre chief Dr KS Jawahar Reddy on Thursday said, "Research data doesn't establish that N440K is variant of interest and is very virulent".
He said, "On average around 250 samples are being sent to Centre for CCMB from the labs of the state every month, where genome sequencing of southern states -- Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka -- are being carried out.