28 delta variant cases detected in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi : As many as 28 persons have been diagnosed with delta variant (B.1.617.2) of COVID-19 from Rawalpindi district in at least 10 localities and the district health authorities have already recommended the concerned authorities to keep the infected persons under strict quarantine to check further spread of the variant, first detected in India earlier this year that is more transmissible than contemporary lineages of SARS-COV-2 (in general COVID-19) variants.

It is important that the WHO has already categorized delta variant as a variant of concern after observing its significantly increased transmissibility and a growing number of countries reporting outbreaks associated with this variant.

Studies reveal that multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants are circulating globally and 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.

Samples sequenced at the National Institute of Health reveal that 28 cases from Rawalpindi district are of delta variant and taking immediate action, we informed the concerned authorities including city district government of the patients and their areas of residence recommending that the infected persons must be kept under quarantine to check the spread of the delta variant, said In-charge District COVID-19 Cell Rawalpindi Dr. Hafiz Muhammad Jawad Zahid when contacted by ‘The News’ on Friday.

The areas include Misrial Road, Tench Bhatta, Jalala Road and Dhoke Dalal in Taxila, Sanjoli Street, Adyala Road, Kehkashan Colony, Gulshanabad, Dhoke Kashmiriyan, Amarpura Chowk near Murree Road, Sector 4 B in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed and Tench Bhatta.

It is, however, important to mention that near and dear ones of infected persons have been visiting the patients diagnosed with delta variant and there is no ideal following of SOPs regarding their quarantine.

The district administration Rawalpindi on the directives of the Punjab Primary and Secondary Health Care Commission has imposed smart lockdown in eleven areas of the district to contain the threat of the spread of the new wave of Delta COVID-19 Variant.

The consistent rise in number of cases of coronavirus illness, COVID-19 being witnessed in Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi district hints towards another wave of the outbreak as in the last four days, as many as 617 new patients have been tested positive for COVID-19 from the region.

The virus claimed one more life from the region in the last 24 hours while as many as 198 new patients were tested positive from the twin cities showing the outbreak is hitting the population hard in this region of the country. The positivity rate of COVID-19 recorded from the region in the last 24 hours jumped to over four per cent.

Data collected by ‘The News’ on Friday has revealed that in the last 24 hours, one more patient has died of the illness from the federal capital from where a total of 782 patients have so far died of COVID-19. The virus claimed no life from the Rawalpindi district in the last 24 hours though 999 patients had already lost their lives from the district.