New Delta variant AY.4.2 detected in Telangana

The Delta AY.4.2 variant of coronavirus cases, which are spreading rapidly in some foreign countries, have come to light in Telangana as well. Two cases of this new variant were detected in a genome sequencing report.

The details were revealed by the global initiative on sharing avian flu data’ (GISAID) under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO said in its latest report that 26,000 ‘AY.4.2’ cases were registered with the GISAID worldwide.

However, victims’ details are said to be kept confidential. In September, 274 blood samples from Covid-19 cases registered in Telangana were sent to the Genome Sequencing at the Center of DNA Fingerprinting Laboratory in Hyderabad. Of these, two (0.6%) were ‘AY.4.2’ type cases. Those two blood samples from a 48-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman came from NIMS for genome sequencing. The Center submitted the details to GISAID in October. However, the details of the two AY.4.2 victims were kept secret.

The AY.4.2 Delta variant was found to be 12.4 percent more contagious than the virus. While the UK says cases and deaths are high, the WHO says cases are on the rise, but the death toll is not as high.

The AY.4.2 was first detected in July and is found to have caused one in ten Covid-19 cases in the UK. It has also been observed in a few European nations, like Denmark, Germany and Ireland.

However, the Ministry of Health has issued warnings to the public to be vigilant in the wake of the rising number of coronavirus cases worldwide.