Mumbai: After just making through from the second wave and the black fungus infection, Maharashtra is already on alert as after 21 fresh cases of the Delta plus variant were reported.
These cases came from different districts in the state including two in Mumbai.
Last Monday night, Maharashtra, Health Minister Rajesh Tope reported that cases of the Delta plus variant have been reported. He was quoted by IANS as saying, "So far, we have found 21 cases of Delta Plus variant in the state," as health circles went into a tizzy to tackle the unfolding new public health challenge.
The highest number of cases has been detected in the coastal districts like Ratnagiri (9), Mumbai (2) and one case each in Palghar, Thane and Sindhudurg districts, while another 7 cases detected in Jalgaon in interior northern Maharashtra.
Tope said complete information about the people detected with the 'Delta plus' variant is being sought, including their travel history, whether they were vaccinated or not, and if they were reinfected. Their contacts are being traced and tested, the minister said, adding that information on the mutation of Delta and Delta plus variants is also being scrutinised.
However, State Covid-19 Task Force Member Dr. Uday Kulkarni assured today that there is no cause for worry and efforts are on to determine the treatment course and other protocols to control it. So far, the state has tested over 7,500 and more are being collected at the rate of 100 per district for the Delta variants, said officials according to IANS.
At least three cases of SARS-CoV-2 Delta-plus variant have been found in samples collected from two Kerala districts- Palakkad and Pathanamthitta, officials told PTI on Monday.
The new Delta plus variant has been formed due to a mutation in the Delta or B.1.617.2 variant, first identified in India and one of the drivers of the deadly second wave. Though there is no indication yet of the severity of the disease due to the new variant, Delta plus is resistant to the monoclonal antibody cocktail treatment for COVID-19 recently authorised in India.
Variant of Interest
Last week, member (Health), NITI Aayog, Dr VK Paul had reminded the public that the newly detected Delta Plus Variant is not yet classified as a Variant of Concern.
"The present status is that yes, a new variant has been found. This is as of now a Variant of Interest (VoI), not as yet classified as a Variant of Concern (VoC). VoC is one in which we have understood that there are adverse consequences to humanity, which could be due to increased transmissibility or virulence. We do not know at this moment this about the Delta Plus variant," Dr Paul had stated according to PTI.
He has said the way forward is to watch for its potential presence in the country and take the appropriate public health response.
Vaccination a must
Dr VK Paul on Tuesday said thwarting the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic is in the hands of the people as "it can be stopped if Covid appropriate behaviour is followed, and majority of the people get vaccinated".According to an IANS report, while explaining about the expected third Covid wave, Paul said, "Whether or not a third wave occurs is in our hands."
"Why will there be a third wave if we follow Covid appropriate behaviour and get ourselves vaccinated? There are many countries where even the second wave has not arrived. If we follow Covid appropriate behaviour, this period will pass," a Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) statement mentioned quoting Paul.
Paul reminded that a "third wave can be stopped if Covid appropriate behaviour is followed, and the majority of people get vaccinated".
The NITI Aayog Member underscored the importance of fast vaccination in order to enable India to open its economy and resume normal work and emphasised on fast vaccination as a key to go back to normal.