Maharashtra: 20 more cases of Covid Delta plus variant; total cases reaches 65

Of the 20 cases, the maximum (seven) are in Mumbai and three in Pune. Besides, two cases each were found in Palghar, Raigad, Nanded and Gondia and one case each was found in Chandrapur and Akola. The first 21 Delta Plus cases were found in the state in June

The Maharashtra health department on Wednesday said they have found another 20 cases of Covid-19’s Delta Plus variant in the state. It was confirmed in the genome-sequencing report conducted by NIV (Pune), National Centre for Cell Science, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB). The total number of Delta Plus cases in Maharashtra has reached 65.

A queue to get railway pass at Borivli station, on Wednesday. (VIJAY BATE/HT PHOTO)

Of the 20 cases, the maximum (seven) are in Mumbai and three in Pune. Besides, two cases each were found in Palghar, Raigad, Nanded and Gondia and one case each was found in Chandrapur and Akola. The first 21 Delta Plus cases were found in the state in June.

Genome sequencing is an exercise to study changes in the structure of the virus over time. A combination of changes in the ribonucleic acid of the virus can give birth to a new variant. It helps in ascertaining the types of variants infecting the citizens in the state. It is being done on the samples taken from the Covid-positive patients.

To speed up the genome-sequencing process, the state government in April signed an MoU with CSIR-IGIB to sequence 100 Covid-positive samples each from 36 districts every month. Besides, 10 sentinel centres that include five laboratories and five hospitals, send samples to National Institute of Virology (NIV) and National Centre for Cell Science (NCCC) for sequencing in every 15 days. Each of them sent 15 samples for sequencing, the officials said.

“Since April, the state has sent around 8,000 samples for genome sequencing and 80% of them are found to be Delta (B.1.617.2) variants, said Dr Pradeep Awate, state surveillance officer.

“We are investigating each and every case of Delta Plus. We are trying to get epidemiological information of all the cases to ascertain its transmission and virulence, its response to the vaccine etc., which will help to contain the outbreak and transmission, if any,” Dr Awate said.

Barring one death, all the other 65 patients found to be symptomatic or having mild symptoms, he added.

The state government has started contact tracing of high-risk and low-risk contacts of index cases in the affected districts. Their genome sequencing will also be done if found Covid positive. It has further started surveillance for Influenza Like Illness (ILI), Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI). This is being done to ascertain the differentiating factor between Delta and Delta Plus variants and understand their virulence and transmissibility, the officials said.