Concerns mount over detection of AY.12 variant in Visakhapatnam
A large number of people gathered at a protest, ignoring physical distancing norms in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam: At a time when the coronavirus cases are gradually receding, the new variant AY.12 detected in Visakhapatnam has now become a cause for concern.
Of the 18 cases registered in Andhra Pradesh so far, six cases of a new sub-lineage of SARS-CoV-2's Delta variant spotted in Visakhapatnam alone. The district administration and the health department are on a high alert to contain the spread of the infection and gear up for the next wave of infections.
Currently, the daily caseload in Visakhapatnam varies from 50 to 100. Despite the statistics and the possibility of the onset of the third wave, adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour has taken a back seat.
Be it in public spaces, shopping malls, tourist spots, function halls, meat outlets and eateries, huge gatherings are witnessed on a regular basis, giving a larger scope for virus surges.
Given the complacency among people, health officials warn that there is a higher scope for the third wave to set in sooner than later. It has been identified that AY.12 is one of the mutations of the Delta Plus variant.
"AY.12 variant is one of the 13 subtypes known as the Delta Plus variants. However, it is too early to say whether the variant has increased transmissibility and virulence.
However, it is one of the variants which can cause a third wave if people continue to show complacency in sticking to Covid appropriate behaviour," cautions P V Sudhakar, Principal of Andhra Medical College and District Covid Special Officer.
According to the authorities concerned, a few samples are randomly sent to CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology's (CCMB) laboratory every week from Visakhapatnam to trace any presence of the new variant.
The detection of AY.12 in the district is an outcome of the results arrived from the lab, the health officials added.
Though a number of AY.12 cases were reported in Israel, India has so far registered 178 cases, including 15 and 18 cases in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively.