Here’s what we know about the delta plus variant

Here's what we know about the delta plus variant

Here's what we know about the delta plus variant Health workers treat a COVID-19 patient at the Dr. Suyoto General Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, July 29, 2021. Indonesia endures a devastating wave of coronavirus cases, fueled by the virulent delta variant which was first detected in India. South Korea's Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Tuesday that it had recorded at least two cases of the new coronavirus delta plus variant, which some experts believe to be more transmissible than the original delta variant that was first detected in India and has since thwarted plans for returning to life before the pandemic. But what exactly do we know about "delta plus," yet another new variant causing alarm among governments and health officials? First identified in Europe in March, the variant is also known as B. 1.617.2.1 or AY.1. It has been detected in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and India. Last month, experts in India labeled the variant one of concern and warned that it appeared to be more transmissible than most. Citing studies, the country's health ministry said that the variant has the ability to bind more easily to lung cells and could be resistant to therapies used to treat the infection. Union science and technology minister Jitendra Singh announced last Friday that up to 70 cases of the delta-plus variant were detected in genome sequencing as of July 23, Hindustan Times reported. How India has weathered the devastation of the delta variant and how it has named the delta-plus variant as one of concern should place public health leaders on notice, said James Hildreth, president and chief executive of Meharry Medical College. "We've got to be more willing to consider observations made in other countries dealing with [the coronavirus]," he said, noting that the relative of the highly contagious delta variant is concerning. "Again, we saw what happen with delta in India and how quickly it spread . . . Why would we think the delta-plus variant would be different?" The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium have since said that the delta-plus variant is unlikely to be more transmissible than the delta variant and trends have yet to emerge, according to Hindustan Times. The variant was has listed as one of concern by the international health agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it will continue to evaluate its independent classification. However, Melita Vujnovic, World Health Organization representative to Russia, said last month that face coverings and vaccinations will be needed to fight the latest variant.


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