In a first, six found infected with AY.4 variant of coronavirus in Indore

“As per the report received from the Delhi-based National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), six persons were found infected with the AY.4 variant of coronavirus,” a medical official said.

Amid the receding daily Covid-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh, health officials in the state said six persons have been found infected with the AY.4 variant of the coronavirus, several news agencies reported.

The AY.4 variant has been detected for the first time since the advent of the pandemic.(Bloomberg | Representational image)

“As per the report received from the Delhi-based National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), six persons were found infected with the AY.4 variant of coronavirus. Their samples were sent for genome sequencing along with other infected persons in September,” news agency PTI quoted BS Saithya, chief medical and health officer (CMHO), as saying.

He added the AY.4 variant has been detected for the first time since the advent of the pandemic.

Further, the official said the six infected persons were fully vaccinated against the virus, adding that they have all recovered after receiving proper treatment.

More than 50 people, who had come in close contact with those infected with the new variant, were tested and found to be healthy, Saitya said.

While there are concerns about the transmissibility of the variant, Dr Anitha Mutha, head of the Indore-based Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, said the variant is new and there is not much information about the severity of the disease caused by it.

Meanwhile, the number of daily new infections of Covid-19 continued to show a declinintrend in the state. On Sunday, the state had reported nine new infections and no fresh related deaths. With this, the total confirmed infections in the state rose to 7,92,749, while the death toll remained at 10,523, a state health department bulletin showed.

With 85 active cases, it is also one among the few states in the country, where the active caseload is less than 100. Also, 6,85,63,154 doses of vaccines against the virus have so far been administered to eligible beneficiaries in the state.

(With PTI inputs)