After Delta plus Covid-19 variant found in Faridabad, mass testing, safeguards prioritised

The Faridabad district administration on Saturday said that screening and testing for the Delta plus Covid-19 variant would be carried out in the entire sector from where the first case of the variant was reported. District officials said that the case was reported from the ESI Hospital on Friday, following which a containment zone was created to prevent its spread. On Saturday, the state Home minister Anil Vij also directed that “100% contact tracing of the patient” should be carried out and a containment zone created.

Yashpal Yadav, the deputy commissioner of Faridabad, said that a decision to screen the entire sector was taken immediately after the case was reported. “The patient has minor symptoms; he is doing fine and is being taken care of. The immediate family, relatives and entire neighbourhood will be tested to ensure that this variant doesn’t spread,” said Yadav, adding that a micro-containment zone is being created in the area.

A release from the Faridabad district administration late Saturday mentioned that the patient, a 25-year-old male, had already tested positive for Covid-19 in May. He started exhibiting symptoms again this month after attending a wedding and travelling to Delhi for work through Metro.

Five of his close contacts have also been traced and their samples taken for testing, said officials.

Because of the threat posed by the Delta plus variant, the Faridabad administration decided to strictly implement Covid-19 safeguards. “Masks and Covid appropriate behaviour will have to be followed and strictly enforced as we don’t want the third wave to spread in the city or state,” said Yadav.

Anil Vij, health minister Haryana expressed confidence that the state was fully prepared to fight the mutant virus. Directions have been issued to carry out contact tracing of the first patient infected with Delta plus virus in Faridabad, he said.

Responding to the letter written by the Central government to the state to create a containment zone, the health minister said that the state has already asked the officials concerned to create a containment zone and also conduct testing on a large scale.

On Friday, Rajesh Bhushan, secretary, department of health and family welfare, had written to the state chief secretary, intimating that a case of Delta plus variant of Covid-19 was found in a sample of a patient in ESI Hospital of Faridabad.

The letter said that the Delta plus variant was highly transmissible, strongly bonded with lung cells and weakened antibody response.

10 cases, 10 recoveries

Gurugram, on Saturday, recorded 10 new Covid-19 cases but also witnessed the recovery of 10 patients. As per details shared by the health department, there are 141 active Covid-19 patients in the district, of whom 128 are in home isolation. Two deaths were also reported in the district, taking the toll to 894.