Delta variant may have caused 100% of Madhya Pradesh's COVID-19 infections in June

The Delta variant may have been responsible for nearly all Covid infections in Madhya Pradesh in June. That's the indication from a genome sequencing report where every sample sent from MP last month was found to have been Delta - the mutation causing worldwide concern now.

Delta's share in tested samples from MP rose from 57% in April to 69% in May and a whopping 100% in June, shows the report from National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC).

The Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) was predominant in MP till March. But since then, Delta has been the biggest factor behind the spike in Covid infections in Madhya Pradesh. Of the 1,332 reports MP has received from NCDC, 458 (34%) were found to be Delta, the report said.


"Delta is the predominant variant in the state for the last three months and Delta-plus has been detected in only eight cases in MP," health commissioner Akash Tripathi said.

"We have sent around 2,000 samples to NCDC from the state so far for genome sequencing, based on certain parameters that include severe infection, post-vaccination infection, long hospital stay and infection with comorbidities," Tripathi added.

Asked what is being done to track these new variants, Tripathi said: "We are sending around 300 samples per month from across the state to NCDC for genome sequencing for better surveillance."