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COVID-19 Delta Plus Variant Spreading Rapidly In India, Government Issues Alert In 3 States - Details Here

Twenty-two cases of the Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus have been detected in India. Read to know which states are at risk of facing a surge in the cases of the Delta COVID-19 variant.

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Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : June 23, 2021 11:01 AM IST

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Delta Plus Variant Spreading Rapidly In India, Government Warns 3 States

At a time when India is emerging from the ferocious second wave of coronavirus which ravaged the country causing thousands of fatalities, as many as 22 new cases of the Delta Plus a newly found variant of the coronavirus have been reported from across the states. Following the sudden rise in the cases of the new variant, the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday categorised Delta Plus as a 'variant of concern'. The Centre has alerted three states of major consequences Maharashtra, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh. Speaking at a press conference, the government directed these three states to take up immediate containment measures in clusters where the variant has been detected.

Centre Alerts 3 States Over Delta Variant Outbreak

Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has communicated to all the three states that the Delta Plus variant has been found in the genome sequenced samples received from Ratnagiri and Jalgaon districts in Maharashtra, Palakkad and Pathanamthitta districts in Kerala, and Bhopal and Shivpuri districts in Madhya Pradesh. Here are the latest developments regarding the newly detected Delta Plus variant of the COVID-19.

  • The health ministry has identified three major characteristics of the Delta Plus variant Increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells, and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.
  • Twenty-two cases of the Delta plus variant of the coronavirus have been detected in India, with 16 of them being reported from Maharashtra and the remaining from Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.
  • Both the Indian vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- are effective against Delta variant but to what extent and what is the proportion of antibody titers they produce, that information we would very shortly share.
  • The Centre has advised the three states' chief secretaries to take up immediate containment measures in the districts and clusters (as identified by INSACOG), including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, carrying out widespread testing, and prompt tracing as well as vaccine coverage on a priority basis.
  • They have also been advised to ensure that adequate samples of positive persons are promptly sent to the designated laboratories of INSACOG so that clinical epidemiological correlations can be made for further guidance to be provided to states.

Delta Variant Has Mutated Into Delta Plus Know All About It

The highly transmissible Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 which was first detected in India has mutated to form 'Delta plus' or 'AY.1'. Delta Plus variant or B.1.617.2.1 is closely related to the Delta variant, which is a major contributor to the second wave of Covid-19 in India that ravaged the country causing many fatalities. The Delta Plus variant has a mutation in the spike protein region of the RNA virus, which potentially makes it more transmissible.

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(With inputs from Agencies)

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Satata Karmakar

Satata Karmakar

Satata Karmakar is a health journalist and Assistant News Editor at TheHealthSite.com with over a decade of experience in digital and print media. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, she has previously worked with leading media organisations including ... Read More