7 infected with Delta Plus variant in MP, two dead

Madhya Pradesh has reported another death linked to new Delta Plus variant of coronavirus disease, taking the such total to two. The state has reported first death due to the new version on Wednesday when a woman in Ujjain was reported to have died after contracting Delta Plus Variant. The state currently has seven cases of Delta Plus variant, a health official said. Of the seven, the two who succumbed were not vaccinated, even partially, whereas three who had received single or double doses of vaccines defeated the virus. Meanwhile, two others managed to recover without vaccination.

All seven patients were tested positive for Covid-19 last month, but genome sequencing of their samples were found to be infected with the new variant in June.

The Delta Plus variant is the newest mutation of the coronavirus disease after Delta version, which led country through a dreading second wave of infections. Experts have believed that the Delta Plus variant will lead the country into the third wave of the coronavirus disease.

Besides India, the new variant has also been found  US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Poland, Russia and China.

Anthony Fauci, US expert of the infectious disease, had earlier said that Delta Variant of the coronavirus could eradicate the effect of vaccine in the United States.

"The transmissibility is unquestionably greater" in the Delta variant than the original variant of COVID-19, Fauci said, adding that "it is associated with an increased disease severity."