Centre ups vigil as 30 cases of Delta Plus strain of virus surface in Maharashtra, MP & Kerala

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<strong>With around 30-odd cases of the more aggressive Delta Plus mutation of coronavirus surfacing in three states, the Centre has stepped up its vigil to prevent further spread of the strain.</strong></p>
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Five cases of the Delta Plus variant have emerged in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal and Shivpuri districts out of which four patients who were vaccinated have recovered while one died, the state health minister said.  Around 21 cases of Delta Plus strain have also been detected in Maharashtra mainly in the Ratnagiri and Jalgaon districts, two of these cases were in Mumbai, Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope told journalists. Kerala is another state in which some cases have been found in the Palakkad and Pathanamthitta districts.</p>
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"The Centre has sent an advisory to these states about their public health response. We don't want this small number to take a bigger form," said VK Paul, the head of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration.</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/health-news/India-must-learn-from-UK-experience-on-new-Delta-Plus-variant-of-virus-says-AIIMS-chief-96695.html">India must learn from UK experience on new Delta Plus variant of virus, says AIIMS chief</a></strong></p>
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Dr Paul said the Delta Plus was now in the US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Russia and China besides India.</p>
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INSACOG , a consortium of 28 laboratories of the health ministry, that tracks the genome sequencing of the virus  has informed that the Delta Plus variant, currently a variant of concern (VOC), has the following characteristics:</p>
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Increased transmissibility</li>
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Stronger binding to receptors of lung cells</li>
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Potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response</li>
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The Union Health Ministry has advised Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh that the public health response measures have to become more focused and effective.  The States Chief Secretaries have been advised to take up immediate containment measures in the districts and clusters including preventing crowds and intermingling of people, widespread testing, prompt tracing as well as vaccine coverage on a priority basis.</p>
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They were also advised to ensure that adequate samples of Delta Plus positive persons are promptly sent to the designated laboratories of INSACOG so that clinical epidemiological correlations can be made for further guidance to be provided to States.</p>
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The government said while the two vaccines being used in India, Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, are effective against Delta variant, it would soon give data on Delta Plus.</p>
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<strong>Fresh cases at 91-day low</strong></p>
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Meanwhile, the total number of daily fresh cases of Covid-19 reported in India on Tuesday declined to 42,640 which is the lowest in the last 91 days.</p>
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The country’s active caseload has declined to 6,62,521 which has come below the 7 lakh mark after 79 days.</p>
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The daily recoveries continued to outnumber the daily new cases for the 40th consecutive day with 81,839 patients recovering during the last 24 hours. The weekly positivity rate remains below 5%, currently at 3.21%. The daily positivity rate at 2.56% is less than 5% for 15 consecutive days. The testing capacity has been substantially ramped up as well.</p>
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India has administered 86.16 lakh vaccine doses in a single day on Monday, the highest ever single-day vaccination achieved in the world so far. The total number of people who have received at least one vaccine shot in the country has now gone up to 28.87 crore.</p>