Delta Plus variant cases in Maharashtra rises

Maharashtra reported 10 new cases of the Delta Plus variant. With this, total cases of Delta Plus variant has increased to 76 in the state.

Key Points

• As per state state health department, six new cases were reported from Kolhapur, three from Ratnagiri while one from Sindhudurg.
• Five of the 76 patients have died so far.
• Death of a 63-year-old fully vaccinated woman from Mumbai was the first reported death due to the Delta Plus variant in the city.

Delta Plus Variant

SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant is also called as lineage B.1.617.2 or Indian variant. This variant was first detected in India in late 2020. It was named as ‘Delta Variant” by World Health Organization (WHO) on May 31, 2021. It comprises of mutations in the gene encoding SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Delta with K417N corresponds to lineages AY.1 as well as AY.2. This variant is called as “Delta plus” or “Nepal variant”. It comprises of K417N mutation. Such mutation is also present in Beta variant. The exchange at position 417 is a substitution of lysine-to-asparagine. The variant of the coronavirus is considered as highly infectious. It was first detected during genome sequencing of swab samples from across the states in India.

Background

Delta Variant came to international attention in March 2021 following the genome sequencing by newly established INSACOG. Genome sequencing was performed on positive cases in Indian states. Lineage B.1.617 later called as double mutant by news media.

INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics)

It is the forum under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was established on December 25, 2020 by the government in order to study and monitor genome sequencing and virus variation of different strains of COVID-19 in India.

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2021