What Is 'Delta Plus' Variant? Can It Trigger A Third Wave Of COVID In India?

The deadlier version of the ¡®Delta¡¯ variant of COVID-19, ¡®Delta Plus¡¯, is expected to trigger a third wave of the pandemic in India. The Delta variant of the Coronavirus was majorly responsible for the second COVID wave, which shattered the country¡¯s healthcare infrastructure. And now, when there are talks about the possibility of a third wave and what could possibly trigger that, Delta Plus is emerging as a dangerous proposition for both the healthcare experts as well as the policymakers.

In the context of public discourse regarding detection of new variants, NITI Aayog Member (Health) VK Paul has reminded that the newly detected 'Delta Plus' variant is not yet classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC).

Reuters

The variant was observed in Europe in March and has been notified and brought into public domain on June 13 this month.

As 'Delta Plus' is not yet classified as a VOC, Paul said, the way forward is to watch the potential presence of 'Delta Plus' in the country and take the appropriate public health response.

"The present status is that yes, a new variant has been found. This is as of now a Variant of Interest (VoI), not as yet classified a VoC," Paul clarified in a Covid-19 media briefing.

The government may not have classified this variant as VoC, but due to the way it behaves, it has been discussed and considered as the mutant that could create problem in the highly populous areas across the country.

Evades monoclonal antibody use

The Delta plus variant has also been found to nullify the use of monoclonal antibody.

Agencies

The Delta variant played a major role in the second wave. An additional mutation of this variant, known as 'Delta Plus', has been detected and submitted to the global data system.

According to the data available in the public domain, this variant nullifies the use of a monoclonal antibody.

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) had renamed the B.1.617.2 variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, as the 'Delta variant'.

Delta plus may trigger third wave in Maharashtra

The highly virulent "Delta plus" variant of the novel coronavirus could stoke a third wave in Maharashtra, according to a Maharashtra minister.

Agencies

¡°The number of active patients could reach up to eight lakh, while 10 per cent out of them could be children,¡± said the presentation made by the state health department, as per an official release.

¡°The Delta plus variant could stoke a third wave in Maharashtra. It could spread at double the rate," said an official during the presentation.

No anti-bodies found against Delta variant in 16%

According to a new study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed that neutralising antibodies against the Delta variant of coronavirus were not found in 16 per cent of serum samples from those who have received both doses of the Covishield vaccine and 58.1 per cent of those who were given the first shot.

The study on recipients of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine Covishield, is yet to be peer reviewed.