2 cases of COVID-19 Delta Plus variant in Karnataka till date: Dr K Sudhakar

Bengaluru: Karnataka health minister K Sudhakar on Monday said that two cases of the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 have been detected in the state till date and both are asymptomatic.

He also said that except for primary contact, no other contacts of the two patients have got infected with the disease.

Dr Sudhakar said, "As of now we are watchful. Till date we have two cases of Delta Plus variant, both were asymptomatic and none of their contacts were positive except for one primary contact of the Bengaluru infected person. That person is also asymptomatic."

According to the sources, India has over 50 cases of Delta Plus variant, with multiple cases detected in three States - Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra. It has been also traced in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan

Although there is no data as of now which shows that the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 is spreading faster than Delta but the former should also be treated as a "variant of concern", said Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, former Head Scientist of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, ICMR on Saturday.

The Union Health Ministry has warned States that the Delta Plus variant, which is currently a "variant of concern", has increased transmissibility, causes stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and has the potential of reducing monoclonal antibody response.

Terming Delta Plus as 'one of the most critical mutations', Dr Gangakhedkar stated, "There is another mutation that has been seen which is called P871R. This particular mutation is actually one of the most critical mutations which have not seen so far."

The sources further said that deaths of two COVID-19 patients positive for the Delta Plus variant have been reported in Madhya Pradesh so far, both of whom had not taken vaccines.

The Delta Plus Covid-19 positive cases reported are from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu, and Karnataka.