Maharashtra: 80 pc samples sent for genome sequencing test positive for Delta variant, says state health dept

Out of the total samples sent for genome sequencing of Covid19 positive patients in Maharashtra 80 per cent of samples have tested positive for Delta variant according to the state health departmentMaharashtra is conducting genome sequencing tests of Covid19 positive patients samples on a regular basis to ascertain the extent of spread of mutants of the virusAccording to a state health department as many as 76 patients have been found to be positive with Delta Plus variant out of which five have died so far and 71 have recovered As of now no patient infected with Delta Plus variant is under treatmentTo intensify its efforts to identify virus mutants Maharashtra Health Department has selected five laboratories and five hospitals as sentinel centres Every fortnight each centre sends 15 samples to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for genome sequencingMoreover an agreement has been signed with a laboratory named Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology which works under Council of Scientific And Industrial Research CSIR This laboratory tests 100 samples of each district of Maharashtra to find if there is any mutant virus is present in any of the samplesOn Monday Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology found 10 more people positive with Delta Plus variant From these six are from Kolhapur three from Ratnagiri and one is from Sindhudurg districtAlso read Covid19 Maharashtra confirms 10 more Delta Plus casesSo far 13 Delta Plus cases have been registered in Jalgaon 15 in Ratnagiri 11 in Mumbai seven in Kolhapur six each in Pune and Thane three each in Palghar and Raigad two each in Gondia Sindhudurg and Nanded and one each in Chandrapur Akola Sangli Nandurbar Aurangabad and BeedThe state government has formed rapid response teams to detect Delta Plus patients They check patients travel history and vaccination details They also survey for flulike symptoms in peopleIn people aged between 1945 years 39 Delta Plus cases have been recorded 19 have been reported in 4660 age group nine patients are below the age of 18 years and nine persons are above the age of 60 yearsOut of the 76 Delta Plus cases 39 were female and 37 were male Meanwhile the state health department also said out of the total 76 10 were vaccinated with both doses of Covid19 vaccine 12 had taken only the first dose thus 22 people were vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine Out of these 22 two people were vaccinated with Covaxin and the rest 20 with CovishieldSymptoms of 37 Delta Plus infected patients were having very mild to no symptoms at allAs per the health bulletin one death each was recorded in Mumbai Beed and Raigad while two were reported from Ratnagiri due to the Delta Plus variant All patients who succumbed due to the mutated virus were above the age of 65 years and had serious comorbidities Two out of the five had taken both doses of Covishield while three were not vaccinated at all against Covid19Maharashtra government in an official statement said the virus keeps changing its genetic structure naturally so no need to panic about it but everyone must adhere to all the Covid19 related protocolsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever