Hyderabad: The Delta variant of COVID-19 is predominant among the variants found in Varanasi and adjacent areas, reveals a joint study by Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi and CSIR – Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
The two institutes took from coronavirus variants in Varanasi and adjacent areas. Their study found at least seven major strains of coronavirus distributed in these regions.
According to a joint statement by BHU and CCMB, the multidisciplinary research unit led by BHU collected samples in Varanasi and areas around the city, mostly in April 2021.
The CCMB team evaluated these samples and found that there were at least seven major variants distributed in the region. As many as 130 samples were followed up in this study.
Among the variants of concern (VoC), B.1.617 was the most dominant variant we found in our study. This variant is apparently also one of the most important drivers of the second Covid-19 in India, ”says Royana Singh, who heads the multidisciplinary research unit at BHU.
‘As in most of India, the B.1.617.2 variant (also known as Delta variant) was the most common in the samples we studied. It was found among 36 percent of the total samples. Other voices such as the B.1.351 that was first detected in South Africa were also found in this area, ”said Rakesh Mishra, adviser, CCMB.
‘This study once again confirms that the Delta variant is the most widespread coronavirus variant in the country at the moment. But at the same time, it is imperative that we keep an eye on the other emerging variants in the country for another unprecedented boom of Covid matters, ”he added.
Source: The Siasat Daily