Delta Variant Of COVID-19 More Severe In 2nd Wave In Odisha: ILS Director

Bhubaneswar: The delta variant of COVID-19 has been found to be more severe and infectious than other variants of the virus in the second wave of the pandemic in the country.

Claiming this, Ajay Parida, director, Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), here on Thursday said the institute conducted sequencing of 3,000 samples from Odisha in the first half of July. It revealed that 93% of the cases were of the delta variant compared to 96% in the country.

He claimed that the delta variant of first wave has undergone mutation in the second phase and become more serious. It has been detected to remain active in the body for around a month against 15 days in the first wave, he added.

Considering the mutation character of the variant, Parida advised the people to remain alert and careful. “Covid appropriate behaviour, vaccination drive and further mutation of the virus will decide the future of the pandemic,” he said.