BENGALURU: Samples of all those who have tested Covid-positive are being sent for genome sequencing to study the spread, if any, of Covid Delta variant in the city, said Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta on Tuesday.
A team of experts is conducting a study on it and more information on the severity and difference between Delta and Delta-plus variants will be known only after the study is completed. The Delta variant has been found in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and some other states, he added.
“Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s decision to conduct RT-PCR tests and monitor those travelling from Maharashtra is final. Earlier too, people coming from neighbouring states were subjected to RT-PCR tests. BBMP is ready to make the RT-PCR test mandatory if it is considered essential to detect the Delta variant. A death audit is being conducted to determine the variants,” he said.
On the vaccination drive, he said that so far, 63 per cent of people above 40 years of age in the city have taken the first dose and of them, 81 per cent have completed their second shot too. Also, 42 per cent of people aged above 18 have taken the first dose.
Vaccine, sample collection vans flagged off
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday flagged off vaccine vehicles and a sample collection van. The vehicles were donated to BBMP by Parexel, Flowserve, Keysight, United Way Bengaluru, Tata Motors and Collins Aerospace. They have been designed by ShanMukha Innovations in collaboration with IISc.
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