First case of Delta + variant reported in B’luru: Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka health minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday confirmed the detection of delta plus variant of Covid-19 in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Karnataka health minister Dr K Sudhakar on Wednesday confirmed the detection of delta plus variant of Covid-19 in Bengaluru. Talking to the media, he said that two cases of delta plus variants have been reported in Karnataka – one each in Bengaluru and Mysuru.

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The minister said the information has been shared with the Union health ministry and a further course of action is being planned. Adding that the state is monitoring the emergence of new variants,he announced setting up six genome labs in the state.. “Wherever we have a suspicion, we are doing genomic sequencing. We are doing random checks of five per cent of the total samples checked,” Sudhakar said.

Delta variant of coronavirus has been held responsible for the second wave of the pandemic in India. Several other countries as well consider Delta as the factor behind a sudden surge in cases.

He said that the patient in Mysuru has been isolated and he is asymptomatic. “The virus hasn’t infected the primary and secondary contacts. The case is under observation,” the minister said.

“Monoclonal Antibody treatment that was effective for the Delta variant is being resisted by Delta plus variant. Wherever there is a suspicion on Delta variant being found, across the districts, genome sequencing is being done there. Minimum 5% of the random check-up is also being done,” he added.

Stating the vaccination in the way forward, Sudhakar said that the government is confident that the Covid-19 virus can be controlled. “CM BS Yediyurappa has flagged off an accelerated vaccination drive recently which resulted in 11,24,355 lakh doses of vaccination in a single day. We are ramping up the vaccination process every day. Yesterday (Tuesday), our state completed 20 million Covid-19 vaccine doses,” Sudhakar said.

He added that the state received 4,05,000 vaccine doses on Wednesday. “We have set up more than 13,000 sites to administer vaccines to people. Our state has been conducting more than 1,00,000 Covid-19 tests every day,” he said.

On Tuesday, the high-level committee led by Dr Devi Shetty formed to prevent the possible Covid-19 third wave submitted an interim report to the government. “It has been decided that within 45 days, preparations will be made at the district level, from setting up ICU units to deploying health care staff,” he said.