Delta Variant Primary Cause Behind India’s Second COVID-19 Wave, Says Govt Study
An Indian study by scientists of INSACOG, (the consortium of labs undertaking genome sequencing in India) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that first found in India, the delta variant is the main cause behind the second wave of COVID-19. It said that despite Delhiites having seropositivity of more than 56%, they were little protected against the Delta variant, which took over the capital from March 2021.
Established by the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, INSACOG is a grouping of 10 national laboratories. It has been performing genomic sequencing and analyzing the circulation of COVID-19 viruses. Also, it has been correlating epidemiological trends with genomic variants. Genomic variants of several viruses are found in almost all countries as they are a natural phenomenon.
As per the study, the B.1.617 variant and its lineage B1.617.2 were majorly responsible for the increase in the number of COID-19 cases with high transmissibility of 50% more than the alpha variant, i.e. B.1.1.7 which was found in the UK.
The study further stated that the increase in the number of COVID-19 related deaths had a lot to do with the healthcare system and not only with the variant.
India’s surge in infections began in mid-March and increased rapidly, recording as high as 4 Lakh cases also in a day (30 April). Until June 3, the total number of people in India who are affected by COVID-19 stands at 2.84 Crore, out of which 2.64 Crore people have recovered, while 3.38 Lakh have succumbed to death due to the life-threatening virus.
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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
