Madhya Pradesh reports first death from Delta Plus variant of COVID-19

New Delhi: The first death linked to the Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 has been reported in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday (June 23, 2021). The deceased COVID-19 patient’s sample was taken for genome sequencing, which revealed that the patients had contracted the Delta Plus variant of SARS-CoV-2. The deceased patient was a resident of Ujjain. 

According to a report in India Today, the reports from Bhopal confirmed how Ujjain had two cases of the Delta Plus variant. The COVID-19 victim who contracted the Delta Plus variant in Ujjain died on May 23, the report quoted Ujjain's nodal COVID officer, Dr Raunak, as saying.

Reports also added that there were a total of five confirmed cases in the state, out of which three were reported from Bhopal and the remaining from Ujjain. The state authorities also added that while four of the COVID-19 patients had recovered, one woman succumbed to the virus.

The report quoted Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang as saying, "The government is monitoring the situation. Contact tracing has been done for those patients who were found positive for the Delta Plus variant and the reports of their contacts are negative."

"Even then, the government has asked all hospitals to remain alert. We are carrying out testing and genome sequencing on a massive scale to ensure that cases are identified without any delay," minister Sarang added.

Meanwhile, around 40 cases of the Delta plus variant, classified as a variant of concern (VOC), have been detected sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, the Union Health Ministry said on Wednesday. Delta variant as well as all Delta sub-lineages including Delta plus are classified as VOC, it said.

"As of now among the samples sequenced (45000+) in India, Delta plus variant -- AY.1 --has been observed sporadically in Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, with around 40 cases identified so far and no significant increase in prevalence," the ministry said in its statement.

These three states have been advised to strengthen surveillance and take appropriate public health measures.

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