Covid-19 fourth wave in Delhi? New and more transmissible Omicron sub-variant BA 2.75 detected in majority of samples

Representational image (Credits: PTI)

New Delhi: A new Omicron sub-variant has been detected in the majority of samples taken from Covid-19 patients in Delhi, said the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital. BA 2.75, a new Omicron sub-variant, has been detected in the majority of samples taken from most Covid-19 patients. The samples of these patients were sent for genome sequencing and analysed this week, said a senior official of the hospital on Thursday (August 11, 2022). 

More than half of these samples have been detected with the new sub-variant BA 2.75 of Omicron, he said. The doctors said cases in which these sub-variant was detected, the severity is less and patients are recovering faster, within five-seven days.

LNJP hospital’s doctors has been the mainstay of the capital's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic since its outbreak here in March 2020.

According to the PTI report, the study involved 90 patients, and the new sub-variant is more transmissible. The national capital has been witnessing a sudden surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in the last two weeks or so. More than 19,760 COVID-19 cases in total have been recorded in Delhi from August 1-10, according to official data shared by the city health department here.

Besides, there been a nearly 50 per cent rise in the number of containment zones in the city in this period.

Meanwhile, With COVID cases and the positivity rate rising in Delhi, the district officials have started forming teams to strictly enforce the mask mandate and issue a fine of Rs 500 to violators, officials have said.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority(DDMA) has noted that the positivity rate of COVID-19 infection has increased in Delhi over the past fortnight, according to an order issued by the South Delhi district.

"The DDMA after examining all the relevant facts related to the issue of penal provisions for not adhering to covid protocol of wearing of mask at public places, decided that, in relation to the clause 3(h)(c) whereby not wearing of face mask/cover in all public places has been made an offence, a fine of Rs 500 for not wearing of face mask/cover in all public places in Delhi will be imposed," the order said.

On theb other hand, AAP Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Tuesday said Covid cases were on the rise in Delhi, but there was no need to panic as most of the new cases were mild in nature.

Despite the rise in the positivity rate, the city government is not implementing the graded response action plan (GRAP) devised by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority since the hospital admissions are low.

The GRAP came into force in August last year, stipulating measures to be taken by the government in accordance with the positivity rate and bed occupancy for locking and unlocking of various activities.

(With agency inputs)