At least 13 killed in Indian hospital fire as country gripped by new coronavirus variant

A fire at a hospital treating Covid-19 patients killed at least 13 people in India on April 23, 2021. The blaze, which broke out near the city of Mumbai, came as the country recorded the world’s highest daily Covid-19 cases for the second day running amid the spread of a new coronavirus variant. The mutation, officially known as B1617, was first detected in India in October 2020. It is not yet clear whether the variant is more infectious or resistant to vaccines.