Amid a decline in the second wave of coronavirus in India and the possibility of the third wave, Dr. N K Arora, co-chair, Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), on Monday, said that Delta variant is around 40-60 percent more transmissible than Alpha Variant.
What makes the Delta variant so virulent?
B.1.617.2, a variant of COVID-19 known as the Delta variant, was first identified in October 2020 in India. It was primarily responsible for the
second wave of coronavirus in India, accounting for over 80 percent of new Covid-19 cases. It emerged in Maharashtra and traveled northwards along with the western states of the country before entering the central and the eastern states.
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It is around 40-60 percent more transmissible than its predecessor (Alpha variant) and has already spread to more than 80 countries, including the UK, the USA, Singapore, and so on.
Does it also cause a more severe disease as compared to other variants?
Dr. NK Arora said that there have been studies that reveal that there are some mutations in this variant that promote syncytium formation. Besides, it replicates faster. It leads to a strong inflammatory response in organs like the lungs. However, it is difficult to say that disease due to delta variant is more severe.
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Is the Delta Plus variant more aggressive than the Delta variant?
The Delta Plus variant—AY.1 and AY.2—has so far been detected in 55-60 cases across 11 states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh. AY.1 is found in countries like Nepal, Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Japan but AY.2 is less prevalent. The variant is still under study for its transmissibility, virulence, and vaccine escape characteristics.
Are the vaccines effective against the Delta variant?
Yes, current vaccines are effective against Delta Variant as per the studies undertaken by ICMR on the issue, he said.
Can future waves be prevented?
As the
second wave of coronavirus in India was still underway, any future waves will be controlled and delayed if more and more people get vaccinated. Importantly, people need to follow COVID-Appropriate Behaviour, especially till a substantial part of our population gets vaccinated.
-PTC News
