'50 Cases Of Delta Plus Covid Variant Detected In 11 States', Reveals Centre; Suggests Containment Measures

"Wherever you find a cluster, you have to contain it," Dr. Balram Bhargava said on Friday.

Representational Image (Source: PTI)

New Delhi: The Centre on Friday informed that 50 cases of the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 have been recorded across 11 states so far, they also stated that the maximum number of these cases have come from Maharashtra. 

The government, however, said that at this time the spread is still 'very localised'.

While addressing a press conference, Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Balram Bhargava, said that the 'delta plus' variant cases had also been reported from 12 other countries.

"Wherever you find a cluster, you have to contain it," Dr Balram Bhargava was quoted as saying by ANI.

ANI sources also said that two deaths in Madhya Pradesh have been reported so far as a result of the Delta variant, they hadn't been administered the vaccines. 

According to a PTI report, the Union health ministry on Friday urged eight states and union territories to take up immediate containment measures including preventing crowds, conducting widespread testing as well as increasing vaccine coverage on a priority basis in districts where the Delta Plus variant of coronavirus has been detected. The measures were suggested by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in a letter to Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Haryana.

He also urged them to ensure that adequate samples of people who test positive for COVID-19 are promptly sent to the designated laboratories of Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortia (INSACOG) so that clinical epidemiological correlations can be established.

Bhushan stressed the public health response in this case, while broadly remaining the same, has to become more focused and stringent.

"Thus, you are requested to take up immediate containment measures in these districts and clusters including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, (conducting) widespread testing, prompt (contact) tracing as well as (increasing) vaccine coverage on a priority basis.

The virus strain has been isolated and is being cultured by the ICMR - NIV and tests to check its resistance to existing.