COVID – 19 DELTA PLUS VARIANT: UPSC Daily Important Topic | 16 May 2022

COVID – 19 DELTA PLUS VARIANT.

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has warned people against the new Covid-19 strain ‘Delta Plus’.

□ ABOUT :-

◇ Delta plus (B.1.617.2.1/(AY.1) is a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus formed due to a mutation in the Delta strain of the virus . It is technically the next generation of 

SARS-COV-2.

◇ This mutant of Delta was first detected in Europe in March 2021.

◇ The Delta variant that was first detected in India (in February 2021) eventually became a huge problem for the whole world.

◇ However, the Delta Plus variant, at present, is limited to smaller areas in the country.

◇ It is resistant to monoclonal antibodies cocktail. Since it’s a new variant, its severity is still unknown.

◇ The World Health Organisation (WHO) is tracking this variant as part of the Delta variant, it is doing so for other Variants of Concern with additional mutations.