Five people have died and as many as 66 have been found infected with the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 in Maharashtra so far, the state health department disclosed on Friday.

Seven of these patients were aged under 18, they added.

The COVID-19 Delta Plus variant, considered highly infectious, was detected during genome sequencing of swab samples sent from different parts of the state.

Among those who died, was a 63-year-old fully vaccinated woman from Mumbai. This is the first death due to the Delta Plus variant in the country’s  commercial capital.

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Following the woman's death in Mumbai, at least two of her close contacts were also found infected with the Delta Plus variant, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official.

A resident of Mumbai's suburban Ghatkopar area, the woman died on July 27 in the ICU of a hospital. The genome sequencing report that came in on August 11 showed that it was a Delta Plus variant infection, the official said.

The woman had taken both the doses of the Covishield vaccine, but tested Covid positive on July 21, he said.

According to a health department statement, a 50-year-old woman from Thane was found coronavirus positive on July 22 and her report received on Friday revealed she was also infected with the Delta Plus variant.

The woman had mild symptoms and she has since recovered, the statement said.

Among the five deaths linked to the Delta Plus variant, two patients were from Maharashtra's Ratnagiri district and one each from Raigad, Beed and Mumbai, the health department said, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

The maximum number of Delta Plus patients – 13 – belong to Jalgaon in north Maharashtra followed by Ratnagiri at 12 and Mumbai at 11, the health department said.