India is still recovering from the devastation made by the ongoing second wave of coronavirus, meanwhile, a mutated variant of coronavirus is mounting concerns of authorities. The Delta plus variant is a mutated version of the B.1.617.2 strain, which is now reported in four states- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerela and Karnataka.
Experts have shown concern over the delta plus or AY.01 variant saying it may lead to the deadliest third wave of coronavirus in India as it is anticipated to be immune to vaccines and drugs.
So far, WHO has said that this is a variant of interest as not many cases are reported. However, it could become a ‘variant of concern’ if unchecked.
Maharashtra
21 fresh cases of Delta-plus variant have been found in Maharashtra so far, confirmed State Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday. The new Delta plus variant (B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1) has been found in samples collected from few districts of Maharashtra.
According to the reports, these districts were Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Palghar, and Jalgaon, according to reports. So far, 9 cases linked to the new variant have been found in Ratnagiri, 7 in Jalgaon, 2 in Mumbai, while 1 each in Palghar, Sindhudurg, and Thane, added the minister.
Also Read: Delta plus variant may become 'variant of concern', warns AIIMS Chief
Madhya Pradesh
Five cases of the Delta Plus variant are recorded in the state. The first patient in the state is a 64-year old woman from Bhopal. She had received two shots of the covid vaccine and recovered under home quarantine.
On the Delta Plus variant cases, MP Health Minister Prabhuram Choudhary said, “So far five cases of the Delta Plus variant have been reported in Madhya Pradesh. Four out of five people who got the vaccine are healthy. One has died.”
Kerala
So far, the state has reported 3 cases of delta plus variant. One of the infected patients is a four-year-old boy, said the Pathanamthitta district collector Dr. Narasimhugari T L Reddy. The cases are reported from two districts of Palakkad and Pathanamthitta.
Karnataka
Two delta plus variant cases are found in Karnataka. The Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday said, “Both are mild cases with little to no change in the treatment. Nothing to worry about. We have eight genomic labs coming for sequencing in the next 30 days. Five percent of samples will be sent there.”
Also Read: 21 fresh cases of Delta-plus variant found in Maharashtra
Do we need to worry?
According to WHO, this is a variant of interest but it could become a variant of concern. People have to follow the covid appropriate behavior, and the new variant should be aggressively kept under surveillance.
Effect on immunity
“Delta plus variant which is of the same lineage as Delta variant, with a slight change as there is one more mutation found, could be a cause of concern because this mutation, the K417N, is something that may change the virus to some extent as far as its infectivity is concerned,” said AIIMS Chief.
Experts have claimed that the new variant can evade both vaccine and infection immunity.
Transmission
One of India’s top virologists and former members of the INSACOG, Prof Shahid Jameel said that there is no evidence that Delta Plus is more transmissible.
“We hardly have cases to establish the Delta Plus variant as a variant of concern in Indian population as 20 cases out of 25,000 sequences are nothing. More sequencing is needed to determine,” he added.