BHUBANESWAR: Experts have mixed opinions about the danger of the Delta Plus variant, even as a three-member team of health department officials visited the man’s village on Saturday. Deogarh District, who were found infected with the new strain of Kovid-19 to take stock of the situation. The delta (b.1.617.2) variant was the dominant strain during the second wave in the state, with 713 deltas out of 1,150 indexes (62%) in March to May. The state has found only one delta plus (B.1.617.2.1/(AY.1)), a mutant of delta. Both have been declared as cause of concern.
Ajay Parida, Director Institute of Life Sciences, the institute involved in the genome sequencing of the virus, said the delta plus variant may not be as dangerous as is currently being feared. “Only one person tested positive for the new strain in April. Had it been so permeable, more cases would have come to light in the last two months or more.” parida said.
A 65-year-old man tested positive on April 24. Their genome sequencing was done in May and it was found to be of concern. Five percent of the RT-PCR positive samples are randomly sent for genome sequencing. Parida said that of the 45,000 samples studied for the genome in India, 1,100 samples were . belonged to Orissa. “At least 600 samples were studied after they were found positive for Delta Plus. This suggests that the variant is not spreading as dangerously as was anticipated,” he said. He said the man had taken his first dose of Covishield on March 30. The vaccine may have provided protection as the man was mostly asymptomatic.
Another virologist of repute Bramhadev Patnaik said that a possible third wave in the country could be due to its offshoots like the delta variant or the delta plus or so forth mutations. “The danger is looming. It is time for the third wave to arrive. The only difference between the third and second wave will be people with more vaccinations. The situation will depend on whether the vaccines are able to protect,” he said.
The single most unexpected case of Delta Plus in the state comes from Deogarh district, the least Covid affected among the 30 districts of Odisha in both the waves. Incidentally, Deogarh has the lowest number of total infections (5976), lowest virus deaths (32) and lowest current active cases (64) among all districts.
Director of Health Services Bijay Mohapatra said a team led by an epidemiologist visited the affected person, who is healthy and hearty, while there is no active positive case or death among his contacts. The man had undergone a Covid test after some positive cases were reported in the village. 81 positive cases were found in the village from April 17 to 30. Four were hospitalised, the rest recovered at home. All are in good health. The health team said that no death has been reported in the village so far.
Ajay Parida, Director Institute of Life Sciences, the institute involved in the genome sequencing of the virus, said the delta plus variant may not be as dangerous as is currently being feared. “Only one person tested positive for the new strain in April. Had it been so permeable, more cases would have come to light in the last two months or more.” parida said.
A 65-year-old man tested positive on April 24. Their genome sequencing was done in May and it was found to be of concern. Five percent of the RT-PCR positive samples are randomly sent for genome sequencing. Parida said that of the 45,000 samples studied for the genome in India, 1,100 samples were . belonged to Orissa. “At least 600 samples were studied after they were found positive for Delta Plus. This suggests that the variant is not spreading as dangerously as was anticipated,” he said. He said the man had taken his first dose of Covishield on March 30. The vaccine may have provided protection as the man was mostly asymptomatic.
Another virologist of repute Bramhadev Patnaik said that a possible third wave in the country could be due to its offshoots like the delta variant or the delta plus or so forth mutations. “The danger is looming. It is time for the third wave to arrive. The only difference between the third and second wave will be people with more vaccinations. The situation will depend on whether the vaccines are able to protect,” he said.
The single most unexpected case of Delta Plus in the state comes from Deogarh district, the least Covid affected among the 30 districts of Odisha in both the waves. Incidentally, Deogarh has the lowest number of total infections (5976), lowest virus deaths (32) and lowest current active cases (64) among all districts.
Director of Health Services Bijay Mohapatra said a team led by an epidemiologist visited the affected person, who is healthy and hearty, while there is no active positive case or death among his contacts. The man had undergone a Covid test after some positive cases were reported in the village. 81 positive cases were found in the village from April 17 to 30. Four were hospitalised, the rest recovered at home. All are in good health. The health team said that no death has been reported in the village so far.
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