S Korea reports first two cases of delta plus COVID-19 variant

South Korea has reported two cases of highly transmissible delta plus variant of the coronavirus.

It is the first time that the country has reported the delta plus variant, considered a sublineage of the Delta variant, Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday citing the country's Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

The KDCA said one of the Delta plus cases is a man in his 40's who has never been overseas.

The Delta variant of the novel coronavirus was first detected in India last October. The "subvariant" strain is considered to be even more contagious, possibly capable of infecting people even after inoculation.

South Korea has so far confirmed 6,016 cases of four major contagious variants of the new coronavirus, including 2,983 cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant so far.

The country on Tuesday said 20 million people or 39 percent of its population has received atleast one dose of a vaccine against coronavirus, while 14.1% have been fully vaccinated.

South Korea aims to immunise at least 36 million people by September.

( With inputs from ANI )