Eight cases of three Delta+ strains detected
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 31 2021: Even though the state is witnessing a declining trend in daily fatalities and positivity rate lately, eight new cases of three Delta Plus variants have been detected in the state recently.

As per official source, one or the cases is from Imphal West district, three from Ukhrul district and four from Imphal East district.

One case is of AY.3 strain, four cases of AY.4 and three of AY.12, which is the latest strain.

According to a report of Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) dated August 28, the latest strain AY.12 is the dominant strain in the country with 178 cases confirmed so far and it is followed by AY.4 with 105 total cases.

The next dominant strain in the country is AY.3 with 18 confirmed cases.

In another word, the three strains of Delta Plus variants are the top three dominant variants in the country.

Manipur has the highest number of Delta Plus cases among the northeast states.

Assam has reported five cases, Meghalaya three, Nagaland one while no Delta Plus cases have been reported in the remaining northeast states.

In a letter addressed to the chief secretaries and principal secretaries (health) of all states and UTs, additional secretary, ministry of health and family welfare Aarti Ahuja said that it has been intimated by INSACOG that the Delta Plus variant, which is currently a variant of concern (VoC), is likely to have increased transmissibility, stronger binding to the host cell, and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

"In view of this, the public health response has to be more focussed and stringent.

You are, therefore, requested to take up immediate public health measures like containment, contact tracing, covid appropriate behaviour, restricting large gatherings, enhanced testing as well as vaccine coverage in the districts from where these cases have been reported".

"It may also be ensured that adequate number of samples be sent for WGS and the relevant clinical and epidemiological data of the delta plus cases be shared with NCDC for assessing if a correlation exists," the additional secretary said in the letter.

Mention may be made here that the state government had declared Delta as the dominant variant in the state.

The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic began in the state from April and 84,533 positive cases and 1408 death cases have been reported so far during the second wave.

The state recorded 31 death cases and 2457 positive cases out of 38304 samples tested in April, registering a monthly positivity rate of 6.41 per cent.

May recorded 402 deaths and 18,894 cases out of 1,03,392 samples tested, registering a monthly positivity rate of 18.27 per cent.

June recorded 343 deaths and 19,039 cases out of 1,84,163 samples tested, registering a monthly positivity rate of 10.34 per cent.

July recorded 406 deaths and 28,709 cases out of 1,84,941 samples tested, registering a monthly positivity rate of 15.52 per cent while August recorded 226 deaths and 15,434 cases out of 1,24,527 samples tested with a monthly positivity rate of 12.39 per cent.

With over 11 lakh individuals having vac cinated, there is no official report on number of breakthrough cases.

However, the virus had claimed 89 vaccinated individuals out of which four had received both doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

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