The state government of Tripura has confirmed that more than half of the samples that the state sent for genome sequencing to West Bengal have, in fact, turned out to be positive for the Delta plus variant of the SARS-CoV-2, which is feared to potentially drive a third wave of the coronavirus disease across the country.
Sources said that Tripura has sent 151 samples t for testing, as many as 90 came back positive for the Delta plus strain. The Covid-19 nodal officer in Tripura Dr Deep Debbarma said “Tripura had sent 151 RT-PCR samples for genome sequencing in West Bengal,” He further said, “Of these, more than 90 samples were found to be Delta plus variants,” he said, adding, “It is a matter of concern.
Earlier, the health ministry of India has reported that ‘variants of concern’ of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus were detected in as many as 174 districts across 35 states and Union territories. The highest number of cases are reported in Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Telangana, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
At first, Uttar Pradesh reported two new cases of the Delta Plus Covid variant one from Gorakhpur and the other from Deoria. Experts said that it is said that the Delta plus Covid-19 variant may drive a potential third wave of the pandemic in India. The Delta variant was the key driver behind the last wave, which was almost twice as deadly as the first.
The rate of infection was so fast during the second wave that on average, around 1,000 people were reported to be getting infected by Covid-19 daily during the months of April and May, while the ‘real’ death toll was believed to be far beyond the official tally. Now that the second wave of the pandemic is finally showing signs of receding, news of a potential third wave, driven by the Delta plus variant.
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