BENGALURU: Despite SARS-CoV-2’s Delta Plus variant has been declared as ‘Variant of Concern’, experts are saying there is no evidence of it being more transmissible than its earlier variant, although it needs to be studied further as a cautious approach to better understand what role it could play in the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This variant (Delta Plus) is not more transmissible. These are just rumours on social media. All we know is that the monoclonal antibody therapy does not work on patients infected with this variant. It is not a cause of concern,” said Dr V Ravi, who is also the nodal officer for genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Karnataka, and retired professor, NIMHANS.
Monoclonal antibody therapy is an immunotherapy using antibodies to specifically bind certain cells or
proteins to stimulate the patient’s immune system.One Covid-19 case of an asymptomatic male patient from Mysuru was found to have the Delta Plus variant and another in Bengaluru. Three cases with samples containing Delta Plus variant have been found in Karnataka as of June 23. But one sample tested at National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, was actually from Tamil Nadu, hence, Karnataka has only two cases, experts in genomic surveillance said.
Dr Vishal Rao, Regional Director, Head Neck Surgical Oncology and Associate Dean - Centre of Academics and Research HCG Cancer Centre, who is also a member of the Covid-19 Genomic Surveillance Committee, said,
“We know viruses tend to mutate and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has found 8,572 variants in India so far. We do not know the potential of Delta Plus (AY.1) to cause the third wave... but we need to be cautious. By itself it may not cause the next wave, but it can mutate further leading to it. We do not know which variant will become the predominant one. The three causes of concern with variants are increased fatality, increased transmission and vaccine escape,” he said, adding that the new Delta Plus variant needs to be closely monitored.Vaccine companies, such as Pfizer, are going back to the drawing board to prepare more effective Covid vaccines, Dr Rao said.