Even as Maharashtra reported 66 cases of Delta plus variant of coronavirus so far, three different strains of the variant have been found from genome sequencing reports. Experts said that further epidemiological analyses have to be done on sub-lineages Ay.1, Ay.2 and Ay.3 to understand the transmission rate, according to a Times of India report.
The report said that while scientists have found up to 13 sub-lineages of the Delta plus from Ay.1 to Ay.13, the first three have been found in Maharashtra.
The variant, considered highly infectious, was detected during genome sequencing of swab samples sent from different parts of the state. Preliminary data showed that delta plus was tended to be resist monoclonal antibodies cocktail treatment. At present there hasn’t been much evidence to show if delta plus variant is more transmissible that delta, as per the report.
Of the 66 people infected with the delta plus variant, some of them fully vaccinated, and five of them have died, including one in Mumbai, the state health department said on August 13. Seven of these patients were aged under 18.
According to the report, 31 cases of Ay.1, 20 cases of Ay.3, and 10 of Ay.2 were found from the 66 infections. Ay.2 and Ay.1 cases have been found in samples that were genome sequenced since March and April respectively. Ay.3, detected in samples since June, is reportedly spreading fast in some states in the US.
On the nature of Delta plus variant’s transmission and vaccine efficacy, an expert from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology was quoted by the report as saying, “nothing can be linked without more epidemiological investigations.”
A 63-year-old fully vaccinated woman from Mumbai succumbed to the infection in the last week of July, the first death due to the Delta plus variant in the city, a civic official said.
Following the woman’s death in Mumbai, at least two of her close contacts were also found infected with the variant, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official.
A resident of suburban Ghatkopar, the woman died on July 27 in the ICU of a hospital. Only on August 11 the state authorities learnt that she had Delta Plus variant infection after the genome sequencing report came, the official said.
The maximum number of Delta plus patients – 13 – hailed from Jalgaon in north Maharashtra followed by Ratnagiri at 12 and Mumbai 11, it said.Six patients each were from Thane and Pune districts, three each from Palghar and district, two each from Nanded and Gondia, one each from Chandrapur, Akola, Sindhudurg, Sangli, Nandurbar, Aurangabad, Kolhapur and Beed, according to the department.
It said, “80 per cent of the samples sent for genome sequencing had tested positive for the Delta plus variant (of coronavirus).” Of the 66 Delta plus patients, 33 were in the 19 to 45 age group, 18 in the 46 to 60 age group, eight were aged over 60 age and seven were under 18, it said.According to the statement, among the total patients 34 are females.
Among the 66 patients, 10 had taken both doses of vaccines. Eight others had taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Two of these 18 people had taken Covaxin and 16 Covishield, the statement said.Of the total patients, 61 have already recovered and 31 of them showed mild or no symptoms of the infection, it said.
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