First Case Of Delta Plus Variant Detected In Jammu And Kashmir: Official

The first case of the Delta plus variant of coronavirus, classified as a "variant of concern", has been detected in Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu Government Medical College (GMC) principal Shashi Sudhan Sharma said Wednesday.

The authorities are verifying details to ascertain if the patient is a local or a tourist, she said, advising people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, adding, there is no room for laxity.

The case has been found in the Katra township, she said.

"We are regularly sending our samples (to National Centre for Disease control, Delhi) for (genome) sequencing. A new type of variant called Delta Plus or variant of interest has been detected in some parts of our country and one such case has been detected from Katra," Ms Sharma said.

Katra serves as the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills.

Though it looks that the Covid cases are declining in Jammu and Kashmir, "we cannot take the things lightly and everyone should follow the Covid-appropriate behavior seriously", she said.

"There is no room for laxity. We have to stop the transmission chain of the new variant and we have to finish it in its host," Ms Sharma said.