Corona Delta Plus Variant: The Central government on Tuesday declared the Delta Plus variant of the Coronavirus as a 'variant of concern' in India as twenty-two new cases of the new mutant have been detected across the country.
Out of the total cases, 16 of them being reported from Maharashtra and the remaining from Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, the Health Ministry said during a press conference earlier in the day.
EXPLAINED | What Is Delta Plus Variant Of Covid-19? Why Experts Worry It Could Trigger Third Wave
A statement issued by the Union Health Ministry stated INSACOG had informed that the Delta Plus variant, "currently a variant of concern (VOC)", has these characteristics -- increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.
India is among the 10 countries where the Delta Plus mutation has been found so far, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press briefing.
The new mutant of Covid-19 has been found in 10 countries so far including India, US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Nepal, China and Russia.
Delta Plus Variant Cases In India
According to Health Ministry, cases of the Delta Plus variant have been detected in Maharashtra's Ratnagiri and Jalgaon and parts of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
"Delta Plus variant has been detected in nine countries besides India. In India, 22 cases of Delta Plus variant have been found and it is in the category of variant of interest, (and) not yet in the category of variant of concern," Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press briefing.
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".
Maharashtra, Kerala & Madhya Pradesh On Alert
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.
"Union Health Secretary has communicated to these three states this variant has been found in genome sequenced samples from Ratnagiri and Jalgaon Districts of Maharashtra; Palakkad and Pathanamthitta Districts of Kerala; and Bhopal and Shivpuri Districts of Madhya Pradesh," the statement said.