COVID-19: Tamil Nadu logs 9 cases of Delta Plus variant, one death

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to prevail across the country, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Saturday informed that the state has reported nine cases of the Delta Plus variant.

While addressing the press conference, Subramanian (in Tamil) said, "A patient who died on April 21 was infected with Delta Plus variant of coronavirus. A total of 9 cases of Delta Plus variant have been reported in Tamil Nadu so far."

Tamil Nadu reported 5,415 new COVID cases, 7,661 recoveries, and 148 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the health bulletin issued by the state health department yesterday. The total count of active cases in the state now stands at 44,924. As per the state government data, 23,83,624 people have recovered from the disease so far, while the death toll has mounted to 32,199.

Yesterday, Ludhiana has reported the first case of Delta Plus variant of COVID-19, said Deputy Commissioner VK Sharma on Saturday. Earlier on Friday, out of 21 cases of Delta plus variant of COVID-19, one has succumbed to the virus in Maharashtra, informed state health minister Rajesh Tope.

The Union Health Ministry, during a press conference on June 25 had informed that as many as 48 Delta Plus cases have been reported in the country.

"Wherever you find a cluster, you have to contain it," said Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Balram Bhargava and added that the government, however had said that at this time the spread is still 'very localised'.

"The virus strain has been isolated and is being cultured by the ICMR - NIV and tests to check its resistance to existing COVID vaccines were ongoing", the govt added.

The government has also said 'delta plus' variant cases had been reported from 12 other countries, including the US and UK.

Union Health Ministry on Tuesday advised Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh on the presence of the Delta Plus mutation of the Covid-19 virus, that has been pegged as 'variant of concern' (VOC), in certain districts of these states.

( With inputs from ANI )