India Has 48 ‘Localised’ Cases of Delta Plus Variant: ICMR Chief

The Delta Plus variant has been isolated and tests are being done to understand the efficacy of vaccines against it.

India has detected around 48 cases of the Delta Plus COVID-19 variant, which till now have had a localised impact in terms of spread, Balaram Bhargava, the Director of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), said on Friday, 25 June, reported news agency ANI.

Bhargava said that the Delta Plus variant had been isolated and cultured, while assuring the country that results of the efficacy of vaccines against it would be published soon.

“This virus has also been isolated and cultured now. We are doing the same test that we have done for alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Looking at the laboratory test to check the vaccine effect and we should have the results in about 7 to 10 days’ time.”

Balaram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR

Further, Bhargava said that both Covishield and Covaxin work against the four variants of COVID-19 – Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta.

The Delta Plus variant, now a variant of concern in India, has been found in 12 countries, he said.

Maharashtra’s First Death From Delta Plus

• Meanwhile, Maharashtra reported its first COVID-19 death linked to the Delta Plus variant on Friday.

• Rajesh Tope, Maharashtra’s health minister, said that out of the 21 Delta Plus variant cases reported so far, one 80-year-old woman with co-morbidities has now passed away.
• In Madhya Pradesh, two out of seven patients detected with the Delta Plus variant have passed away. They had not received either doses of the vaccine, reported NDTV.

Mass-Scale Vaccination of Children Impossible Without Data

Speaking on the vaccination of those below 18, Bhargava said that the country would not be able to vaccinate children in large number till the time studies and data on vaccination of that specific age group are released.

“There’s only one country that’s giving vaccine to children at the moment. Whether very small children will ever need vaccine, is still a question. Till such time, we’ve more data on vaccination of children, we won’t be in a position to vaccinate children at large.”

Balaram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR

He added that India has started a “small study” to understand the impact of vaccines on children between 2 to 18 years of age, the results of which could be out by September this year.