Centre asks State govt to step up measures against Delta Plus variant

Bengaluru: Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, In a letter to Karnataka Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar, said, "Further, it is intimated that this variant has been found in Mysuru district. The Public Health Response, in this case while broadly remaining the same, has to become more focused and stringent. Thus, you are requested to take up immediate containment measures in these districts and clusters including preventing crowds & intermingling of people, widespread testing, prompt tracing as well as vaccine coverage on a priority basis."

"You are aware that INSACOG is a Consortium of Laboratories for Whole Genome Sequencing in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. INSACOG is tasked with not just the Whole Genome Sequencing but also giving timely inputs on appropriate Public Health Response in specific geographies where variants have been found," the letter added.

Bhushan added that INSACOG has intimated that the Delta Plus variant which is currently a Variant of Concern (VOC) has increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response as its characteristics.

Bhushan asked Kumar that adequate samples of positive persons are sent to the designated laboratories of INSACOG promptly so that the clinical epidemiological correlations can be established.

Meanwhile, raising concern over the intensity of the second wave not declining in neighbouring Maharashtra and Kerala, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has directed officials to intensify its surveillance on border areas to keep track of passengers arriving from these States. After a meeting ministers and bureaucrats to discuss strategies to curb the spread of new mutant, the CM, in a statement, said that there is need to increase surveillance in border areas to keep check on its carriers entering from the neighbouring States. "We need to subject everyone who arrive from Maharashtra and Kerala to tests as in these states, Covid cases are still on the rise and cases related to Delta Plus mutant are also recorded more in number than in any southern states," he said

He also instructed the authorities concerned to identify malnourished children and provide them nutritious food and medical care.