65 more cases of Delta variant detected in Karachi

0 Zeeshan Haider July 15, 2021

KARACHI: As many as 65 more cases of the Indian Delta variant of the COVID-19 have been reported in Karachi, taking the total cases to 100.

According to the Director of ICCBS Professor Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhary, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) at the University of Karachi had tested 2,062 samples on July 12 and 13.

Out of 2,062 samples that were tested, 163 turned out to be COVID-19 positive, of these 65 carried the Delta variant, he confirmed.

He further said that besides the Delta variant, two cases of the Beta (South African) variant, two cases of a wild-type variant and 25 cases of unidentified variants were also confirmed.

On June 12, 35 cases of the Indian Delta variant of the COVID-19 had been reported in Karachi.

As many as 25 more people lost their battle against Covid-19 in Sindh and 1,466 new cases of the virus emerged during the past 24 hours in the province.

In a daily statement on the COVID-19 situation, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that 25 more patients of coronavirus died overnight.

He maintained that during the last 24 hours 1,5201 tests were conducted out of which results of 1,466 came back positive.

Of the total COVID-19 patients, 836 were in critical condition and 59 were on ventilators, he added. The chief minister said that 420 more patients of COVID-19 were recovered from the disease during the past 24 hours.

What is the Delta variant of Covid-19?

Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants are circulating globally. One of these is the B.1.617 lineage, detected in India earlier this year. Early evidence suggests that its sub-lineage B.1.617.2, known as the Delta variant, is more transmissible than contemporary lineages.

The World Health Organizaton (WHO), which has given it the label Delta, has categorised it as a variant of concern (VOC). It has said it continues to observe “significantly increased transmissibility” and a “growing number of countries reporting outbreaks associated with this variant”.

WHO classifies a variant as a VOC when it is associated with an increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in Covid-19 epidemiology; increase in virulence; or decrease in the effectiveness of public health measures or available diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics.