Coronavirus cases in the state of Maharashtra have reduced significantly, however, over the last few weeks, the health department has reported a rise in cases with Delta Plus COVID-19 variant. As per reports, the highest number of cases with this new strain are found in Ratnagiri district.
Officials stated that a patient also died recently due to the variant and this has raised concerns for the government. Meanwhile, a total of nine patients were found in Sangameshwar taluka of Ratnagiri district which included three children of age three, four and six. However, It is said that three children from Ratnagiri who were infected with the Delta Plus COVID-19 variant have recovered from the illness and are doing well. They have also been discharged from the hospital.
Besides this, another 14 new Delta Plus patients have been identified in Maharashtra increasing the overall tally to 34.
Data released by the state health department states that during the second COVID-19 wave, a total of 2908 children have been infected with coronavirus in Ratnagiri district, and most of them were from Ratnagiri taluka.
Also Read: Not just Delta Plus Variant, Health experts warn of 4 More Emerging COVID-19 Variants in India
The total number of Delta Plus patients in the country has increased to 66 with Delta Plus COVID-19 patients have been found in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir.
Observing this spread, the central government, on June 22, called this “a variant of concern” and has stated that an analysis conducted by a consortium of genomic sequencing labs has identified this mutated virus to spread more readily. Studies are being conducted by several teams in India to understand the effect of this strain.
Meanwhile, the state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to set up a genomic sequencing lab at Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital, which will help in testing large number of samples and will also release reports without delay. As of now, samples are being sent to Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV), however, labs have to wait for the reports which delays the treatment further.
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