PremiumMaharashtra on Wednesday reported a total of 20 new cases of highly infectious Delta plus variant of COVID-19 and with that the total tally reached 65, a statement released by the state health department notified. As many as 7 new cases have been identified from Mumbai alone.
Apart from Mumbai, out of the newly detected cases, three were from Pune, two each in Nanded, Gondia, Raigad, Palghar, and one each in Chandrapur and Akola districts, the statement said.
Out of the 65 such patients found in the state so far, the highest cases, 33, were in the 19 to 45 age group and 17 in the 46 to 60 age bracket, it said.
The Delta plus variant was also found in seven children and eight senior citizens, the statement said. State health department officials are tracing and tracking the people who have recently come into contact with the patients infected with the Delta plus variant of COVID-19, it added.
The Centre, meanwhile, on Tuesday said that the Delta plus variant has been detected in 86 samples in the country.
Elaborating on the matter during a routine press conference regarding COVID situation in India, NCDC Director Dr SK Singh said, the variants of concern that we monitor are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Delta Plus. There are two variants under investigation - Kappa and B1617.3.
We were doing two kinds of surveillance - to monitor variants of concern (coming from outside) and to monitor impact of Delta variant in country. Today, we need to look for new mutants because they can reach anywhere any time, he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
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