Delta Plus: Govt Seeks To Allay Fear, Says It’s A Very Localised Variant

New Delhi: After the Delta variant of coronavirus ravaged India in the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, many fear that Delta Plus will trigger the third wave in our country.

The Central government on Monday sought to allay apprehension by stating that the Delta Plus variant is very localised in India so far.

Based on current data, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Monday that just 48 cases of the latest variant have been detected so far from among 45,000 samples collected between April and June.

It added that that Delta Plus is currently present in 12 states.

Odisha reported its first case of Delta Plus recently, but the 60-year-old man from Deogarh district has recovered in home isolation and contact tracing is underway.

The ICMR added that the Delta Plus variant has been isolated and cultured at National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune.

Most of the Delta Plus cases have been found in Maharashtra, followed by Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

Union minister Jitendra Singh earlier in the day urged medical professionals “not to create panic” about a possible third wave of COVID-19 and suggested that basic approach should be “precaution, not panic.”

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr Randeep Guleria had said recently that the country has to prepare for a third wave and new variants like Delta Plus.

Delta Plus has been declared a variant of concern by the Indian government.