New Delhi: After the first case of Delta Plus variant was found in Haryana’s Faridabad, state Home and Health Minister Anil Vij assured that the government is ready to tackle the new COVID-19 mutant. "The government is prepared. We have given orders that 100 per cent of the contacts of the person be tested and genome sequencing be done,” Vij was quoted as saying by ANI. India has so far reported around 51 confirmed cases of Delta Plus variant which has been described as a variant of concern. 


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Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar, former Head Scientist of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases, ICMR said on Saturday, “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.” 


States which have reported Delta Plus cases so far include Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Karnataka. One each in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and two in Madhya Pradesh have also succumbed to the new COVID-19 mutant. 


The Chief Secretaries of these states have been asked by the Centre to implement containment measures on a priority basis. 


 Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan wrote in his letter, “You are requested to take up immediate containment measures in these districts and clusters including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, (conducting) widespread testing, prompt (contact) tracing as well as (increasing) vaccine coverage on a priority basis.” 


The B.1.617.2 Plus or Delta Plus variant has increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response. 


On Saturday, the first cases of Delta Plus variant of coronavirus were detected in Ludhiana and Chandigarh. 


(With agency inputs)


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