The number of the Delta Plus virus, the new variant of the Wuhan virus, also known as the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, are rising in India.
Found in India, the new advanced variant of COVID-19, B.1.617.2.1 termed the Delta virus is now muted to Delta Plus and is spreading rapidly in India.
According to sources, the new mutant also known as ‘AY.1 is considered to be the most dangerous variant of COVID-19. After Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, the new virus is now said to be in Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir and Andhra Pradesh.
With this, as of now India has 40 cases of the Delta Plus variant. Of the total cases, 21 have been reported in Maharashtra, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 3 each in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, 2 in Karnataka and 1 each in Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir said sources.
On the 22nd of June, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) informed that the Delta Plus variant has been found in the aforementioned states in India. The Union Health Ministry alerted the states and asked them to take the necessary precautionary measures as the new variant is extremely dangerous and high transmission. It also has severe effects on lung cells and immunity of an individual.
The chief secretaries of Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, where the cases are more, have been advised to take up immediate containment measures in different districts and clusters, including preventing crowds, widespread testing, prompt tracing and vaccine coverage.
The Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog) labs are studying the new variant found in India. The Insacog lab officials said, “Currently the number of such Delta plus variants in India are only few but the distribution or detection in various states during past two months indicate that it is already present in some states and states may need to enhance their public health response by focusing on surveillance, enhanced testing, quick contact-tracing and priority vaccination.”
Besides India, the new Delta Plus strain is also reported in nine countries — the United States of America (U.S.A.,) the United Kingdom (U.K.,).Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Russia and China.
Recently, the preliminary study by the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) Delhi, reveals that the new Wuhan virus variant, B1. 617.2 named as Delta is possible to infect people even if they are fully vaccinated against the Wuhan virus. A person who has been vaccinated could have 60 % presence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, whereas one who received single doses of the vaccine could have 77 % presence.
Later the Government of India said, the two India made vaccines against the Wuhan virus, Covishield and COVAXIN are effective in the Delta variant. However, the effect of these two vaccines against the new advanced mutant Delta Plus is yet to be known.
In addition, the new variant and its advanced mutant Delta Plus, came at a time when India is struggling with the second wave of COVID-19 and preparing for the possible third wave. The third wave of the Wuhan virus is expected in September-October in India.
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