Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Forty cases of Delta Plus variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a mutation of the Delta strain or B.1.617.2 variant first detected in India, have so far been reported sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday.
“As of now among the samples sequenced (45000+) in India, Delta plus variant — AY.1 –has been observed sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, with around 40 cases identified so far and no significant increase in prevalence,” the ministry said in its statement.
The government has sent a warning to these states about this variant of concern and asked them to strengthen surveillance and take appropriate public health measures.
Delta plus was first reported by Public Health England on its June 11 bulletin and it said that the new variant was present in six genomes in India as of June 7. A retrospective analysis of samples showed the presence of Delta Plus in one collected on April 5, the government had clarified.
The surge in cases during the second wave in India is being attributed to the Delta variant of COVID-19. Delta Plus could trigger the third wave, experts opined.
Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Odisha, CBK Mohanty, on Wednesday, told the media that transmissibility of the variant, its severity, ability to evade the vaccines are still under study.
