The number of Delta Plus cases of the coronavirus, considered highly transmissible, in Maharashtra has risen to 103 after 27 new infections were reported in the state, according to the health department. The department said that of the new 27 Delta Plus cases, six each were detected in Gadchiroli and Amravati, five in Nagpur, four in Ahmednagar, three in Yavatmal, two in Nashik and one in Bhandara district.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release that the Delta variant, which according to the Union health ministry fuelled the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in India, has been detected in 128 swab samples in Mumbai. The BMC said in the release that 128 out of 188 samples sent for genome sequencing at one of its facilities were found to have the Delta variant of the coronavirus. Among other samples, two were found positive for the Alpha variant and 24 for the Kappa variant and the rest were of other strains of Covid-19, it said.
The BMC has set up a new genome sequencing facility at the civic-run Kasturba Hospital in the Chinchpokli area. The civic body tested the first batch of samples at this facility inaugurated by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on August 4. The civic body said it has received two genome sequencing machines donated by an American organisation. At least 384 samples can be tested at the genome sequencing lab at a time and results can be made available within four days, it added.
Maharashtra on Monday recorded 3,643 new cases of Covid-19, which have taken the state’s tally to 6,428,294. Mumbai saw 225 new Covid-19 cases and four fatalities, taking the city’s death toll to 15,951. Maharashtra has seen 136,067 deaths so far and the number of active cases of Covid-19 currently stands at 49,924.
State health minister Rajesh Tope said on Monday all preparations are being undertaken to face the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic. “We have taken steps to fill the vacancies (of medical staff), ensure the maximum level of oxygen, additional budget as well as making available the medicines to face the surge in cases,” Tope said.