Delta plus has more affinity for lung tissues in comparison to other COVID strains: NTAGI

The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) on Sunday stated that the new variant of COVID-19 Delta plus has a greater affinity to lung tissues as compared to all other variants. Having said that, the chief of the group NK Arora added that at the moment it was not clear if it causes damage or not, or is more transmissible. The variant was identified on June 11 and was declared as a Variant of Concern recently. 

"Delta plus is having a greater affinity to the mucosal lining in the lungs, higher compared to other variants, but if it causes damage or not isn't clear yet. It also does not mean that this variant will cause more severe disease or it is more transmissible," he said. 

Variant mild in people with a single or double dose of vaccination: NTAGI chief

NK Arora asserted that the impact of the Delta plus variant of COVID-19 will become clear only as more cases are identified, guessing that the number of cases identified till now may be more as there may be many asymptomatic individuals- those who do not have any COVID-19 symptoms but they are carrying the virus and spreading it. "We need to keep a very close watch and look at its spread so that it will give us transmission efficiency," he said.

"But the important point is that our genomic surveillance component has picked it uprightly and early enough. Now what will happen is that states have already been told that it is a variant of concern and it requires action which means that several states have already started making micro plans for the districts where the virus is identified so that their spread can be contained. Obviously, vaccination will have to be increased in these districts," he added.

Link between Delta plus variant and the third wave 

He also took the opportunity to address the query related to the link of the variant and the third wave. "Waves are linked to new variants or new mutations so there is a possibility as this is a new variant, but whether it will lead to a third wave is difficult to answer as it will depend upon two or three things," he said. 

Delta plus variant

As per scientific researches, the Delta plus variant is a mutation of the Delta or B.1.617.2 variant, which was first discovered in India and has been one of the variants behind the deadly second wave. WHO officials had earlier cautioned that the variant B.1.617.2 is likely to cause more severe symptoms, although more reattach is needed in that area. Meanwhile, the global health agency is also actively tracking the recently emerged “delta plus” variant. The current variant of interest, Delta Plus is a highly virulent mutation of the Delta virus that has been detected in India. The strain has been circulating in Europe since March.