New Delhi: The Delhi government on Tuesday said the Delta variant of coronavirus has been detected in at least 80% of the samples sent for genome sequencing during the second wave of COVID-19 in Delhi.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said that more than 80% of fresh coronavirus cases are also of Delta variant.
"The fresh samples that we are sending now have more than 80 per cent of the Delta variants case. Earlier we were sending samples to ICMR, they had also told the same. Now we are testing it in our labs, only Delta variants are coming out in them too," added Jain.
The Delta variant of coronavirus has been detected in at least 80% of the samples sent for genome sequencing during second wave of #COVID19 in Delhi. More than 80% of fresh cases are also of Delta variant: Health Minister Satyendar Jain pic.twitter.com/RYPoHSHmri
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2021
Replying to a question related to deaths due to oxygen shortage in Delhi, Jain said that the Centre has not yet asked them for data regarding the casualties during the COVID-19 second wave.
Delhi Health Minister said, "We haven`t received any letter from the central government asking for the data on oxygen-related deaths."
At a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, which devises COVID management policies for the capital, the health department shared that the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has been detected in 83.3 per cent of the samples sent for genome sequencing in Delhi in July.
In May and June, the variant was found in 81.7 per cent and 88.6 per cent of the samples, respectively. In April, it was found in 53.9 per cent of the samples.
The data also showed that the Delta variant has been found in 1,689 of the 5,752 samples from Delhi processed at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) so far. The Alpha variant ( B.1.1.7) has been detected in 947 samples.
Both Alpha and Delta variants have been classified as "variants of concern" by the World Health Organisation. The Delta variant was identified in India in December 2020 and has subsequently been detected in over 95 countries.
It was majorly behind the deadly second COVID wave that infected lakhs and killed thousands in the country. The Alpha variant was first detected in the UK last year.
However, the Delhi government has started its preparation for the third wave, said Jain. The AAP leader added, "We are preparing 37,000 beds, 12,000 ICU beds for the next wave." It may be noted that the Delhi government has launched a colour-coded graded response system for COVID-19 management.
Its first phase will be implemented with 0.5 per cent positivity. "When the positivity reaches 1 per cent, then we will consider the second phase and 5 per cent as the red level and then implement the third phase," Jain said.
Scientists and doctors have said that the third wave of coronavirus in India will start this month and its peak will come in October. Whereas scientists from all over the world believe that the waves of corona infection will not end, they will keep on coming.
