Two cases of Delta Plus variant in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Two cases of Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 have been detected in Karnataka, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said on Wednesday.

Apart from them, one sample sent from Tamil Nadu to the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) here too was found to be Delta Plus variant.

‘As of June 23, another Covid-19 Delta Plus variant has been found in Karnataka.One case was found in Mysuru yesterday and today another case in Bengaluru has been found.

This makes it a total of two cases in Karnataka,’ Sudhakar said.

The patient in Bengaluru is isolated and being treated, he added.

Regarding Mysuru patient, he said, ‘In Mysuru, one patient is infected with Delta Plus variant, whom we have isolated but he is asymptomatic and none of his primary and secondary contacts have it.That is a good sign,’ Sudhakar told reporters.

The minister said the state government is carefully monitoring the emergence of new variants and it has decided to set up six genome labs in the state.

‘Wherever we have suspicion, we are doing genome sequencing. We are doing random checks of five per cent of the total samples checked,’ Sudhakar said.

According to Sudhakar, Karnataka is conducting about 1.5 lakh to two lakh COVID-19 tests daily.

He said the government is sending vaccines to all the districts wherever there is suspicion of Delta Plus sequencing.

On the preparedness to deal with the possible third COVID wave, which is believed to affect children, Sudhakar said preparations are afoot to set up paediatric wards with ICU, and appoint doctors and nurses within 45 days in all the districts.