Delta variant of Covid-19 quickly becoming dominant in Punjab: Report

The Delta variant of Covid-19 is making its presence known across Punjab, and has nearly overtaken the Alpha variant's prevalence in the state.

A report by the Times of India says the Delta variant, whose presence was minimal at first in the state, has seen a 40 per cent grown in a month, worrying experts.

The NCDC and CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology have received 2,213 samples between January and May for whole genome sequencing, of which 1,164 samples have been processed, the report said. Of those, variants of concern have been found in 87.8 per sent of the samples.

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Punjab was one of the first states in India to start collecting samples for genome sequencing as the Delta variant's prevalence went up from 6 per cent of 672 tested samples in March to 46 per cent of 252 tested samples in April, as the state grappled with a devastating second wave of the pandemic, the report added.

Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, president, Strategic Institute for Public Health Education and Research (SIPHER), alerted that as the Delta variant is more transmissible than other lineages, the government and health authorities need to be proactive in planning containment measures. “The government and its public health experts need to stay ahead of the curve for better management of the situation,” Dr Gupta told the publication.

Dr Rajesh Bhaskar, Punjab Covid-19 nodal officer, said the available data points at the Delta variant replacing Alpha. He also said the health department is taking steps for strict surveillance in the affected districts and has increased other containment and management measures.