Detection of Delta Plus variant of Covid creates anxiety in Mysuru

Even as the number of Covid-19 cases reported per day is on a decline in Mysuru district, the report that Delta Plus variant was found in a patient, who was treated earlier at KR Hospital, has created anxiety among the officials of the District Administration, healthcare professionals and also people. However, the patient was treated in the month of May and he was asymptomatic.

It has to be noted that the daily reports of Covid positive cases is in three digits since June 14 in Mysuru district. With new 546 cases on Sunday (June 21), the number of active cases were 6,892. The positivity rate was still 9.95% and thus lockdown is in force up to July 5. Now the detection of the Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus has come as a big challenge. There is suspicion that the variant would have been prevalent in the month of May itself and it might have spread to other people.

Dean and Director of Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMC & RI) Dr C P Nanjaraj said, following the directions of the Union government samples of 40 patients were sent to the Virology Laboratory of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru for tests. “Now, the authorities concerned have confirmed that one of the samples tested for the Delta Plus variant. However, the patient was discharged long back and he was asymptomatic,” he said.

Delta plus variant (B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1) has been formed due to a mutation in the Delta, or B.1.617.2, variant. Delta plus has a K417N mutation, alongside the earlier Delta mutation in N501Y. Both of these two mutations could make the virus more transmissible as well as help it evade antibodies such as Casirivimab and Imdevimab, monoclonal antibody cocktails currently used for emergency Covid treatment.