DELTA PLUS VARIANT-COVID 19

• Recently, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), has warned people against the new Covid-19 strain ‘Delta Plus’ (DP).
• There is fear that this new variant ma

Important points:

• Delta plus (B.1.617.2.1/(AY.1) is a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus formed due to a mutation in the Delta strain of the virus (B.1.617.2 variant). It is technically the next generation of SARS-COV-2.
• This mutant of Delta was first detected in Europe in March 2021.
• The Delta variant that was first detected in India (in February 2021) eventually became a huge problem for the whole world. However, the Delta Plus variant, at present, is limited to smaller areas in the country.
• It is resistant to monoclonal antibodies cocktail. Since it’s a new variant, its severity is still unknown.
• People reported symptoms like headaches, sore throats, runny noses, and fever.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) is tracking this variant as part of the Delta variant, it is doing so for other Variants of Concern with additional mutations.
• It has acquired the spike protein mutation called K417N which is also found in the Beta variant first identified in South Africa.
• The spike protein is used by SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes Covid-19, to enter the host cells.
• Some scientists fear that the mutation combined with other existing features of the Delta variant could make it more transmissible.

Major Concerns:

• Multiple studies are ongoing in India and globally to test the effectiveness of vaccines against the Delta plus Covid-19 mutation.
• India’s health ministry warned that regions where it has been found “may need to enhance their public health response by focusing on surveillance, enhanced testing, quick contact-tracing, and priority vaccination.”
• There are worries Delta Plus would inflict another wave of infections on India after it emerged from the world’s worst surge in cases only recently.
• Just over 4% of Indians are fully vaccinated and about 18% have received one dose so far.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMC TIMES,MINT