In India, several more cases of the 'Delta plus' variant of Covid-19 which is now considered highly infectious, have been reported in Maharashtra may trigger the third wave of the pandemic. Further, Kerala, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh, too, have reported cases of this deadlier variety, however, only about 200 confirmed infections have been detected across the globe, of which 30 are in India.
The new strain Delta Plus contains a K417N mutation in its spike protein, which has been formally designated B.1.617.2.1. According to media reports, the first sequence of this type was discovered in Europe in March 2021. 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.
In India, a 65-year-old woman From Madhya Pradesh has tested positive for the new Delta Plus variant of coronavirus. The woman, who has taken two shots of the Covid-19 vaccine, had recovered in home isolation.
The newest variant is still being studied and scientists are trying to pinpoint key differences between symptoms caused by Covid-19 and the Delta plus mutant. Preliminary studies seem to suggest that apart from the usual dry cough, fever, tiredness, aches and pains, skin rashes, toes and fingers discoloration, sore throat, conjunctivitis, loss of taste and smell loss, diarrhea, and headache, chest pain, breathlessness, shortness of breath, and speech loss, Delta plus patients also exhibited stomach ache, nausea, appetite loss, vomiting, joint pains, hearing impairment, etc.
Preliminary findings suggest that this novel corona variation may be resistant to monoclonal antibody cocktail treatments for COVID-19. The therapy, which was recently approved in India, consists of a combination of two drugs: casirivimab and imdevimab.
Delta has been reported in 80 countries. It is now the most common variant in India and Britain, where it accounts for more than 90% of cases. It is spreading rapidly in the US, where it accounted for 0.1% of the total cases in April and has increased sharply to 20.6% cases in June.
The Centre said nine cases of Delta Plus variant were found in Tamil Nadu, seven cases in Madhya Pradesh, three in Kerala, two each in Punjab and Gujarat, and one case each in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu and Karnataka.
On the other hand, 50 cases of Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 have been recorded across 11 states of India, adding that the maximum number of such cases were in Maharashtra.
Delta is believed to be the most transmissible variant yet, spreading more rapidly than both the original strain of the virus and the Alpha vacant first identified in the UK. Evidence suggests that the variant may partially evade the antibodies made by the body after a Covid-19 infection or vaccination. Delta may also cause more severe illness.
The Delta variant is unlikely to risk to people who have fully vaccinated, experts said. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88% effective at protecting against symptomatic disease caused by Delta, as per a recent study. But a single dose of the vaccine was just 33% effective against Delta, the study found.
Delta is likely to infect "large numbers" of unvaccinated people, experts warned.
The pandemic is waning in many parts of the world, with cases, hospitalisations and deaths declining. Still, vaccination rates have been highly uneven and are lower in certain states and demographic groups. Delta could fuel outbreaks in places where vaccinations lag, or among young people, who are less likely to be vaccinated than their elders.
Get vaccinated. If you're already vaccinated, encourage your family and friends to get vaccinated. Vaccination is likely to slow the spread of all the variants and reduce the odds that new, even more, dangerous variants emerge.