New Delhi: A day after the Delta Plus variant of the Coronavirus was declared as a 'variant of concern', around 40 cases of the new mutant has been detected across the country. According to health ministry sources, 40 cases have been found in eight states.
Now, the cases of Delta Plus variant are not limited to three states -Kerala, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh but expanded to states including Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Karnataka.
There are 21 cases detected in Madhya Pradesh, six in Kerala, three in Tamil Nadu, two in Karnataka and one case each in Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu.
States have been asked to be vigilant and focus on curbing the spread of infection. The Centre has also written a letter to the states such as Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh regarding the preparedness on this variant.
The ministry has released an advisory on the kind of public health response that Maharashtra, MP and Kerala should initiate to address this issue which "presently looks fairly small in terms of number but we would not want this to assume significant proportions".
Meanwhile, the Centre has alerted Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh and asked the states to take up immediate containment measures, enhanced testing, tracking and vaccination in districts and clusters where the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 is found.
The Delta plus variant is also called B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 strain. It is being said that the Delta Plus variant is resistant to the monoclonal antibodies cocktail. With the second wave slowing down, most states and Union Territories are reopening and easing restrictions which may lead to rapid transmission of the virus.
The Delta Plus variant of the Covid-19 variant is found in nine countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, China and Russia.