Delhi: Delta variant found in 95% samples sequenced at NCDC

Ninety-five per cent of the samples from Delhi sequenced at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in the last six months were found infected with the Delta variant of the coronavirus, according to government data.

Delhi has sent 7,281 samples for genome sequencing to NCDC since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

Genome sequencing data revealed the presence of the Delta variant in 2,709 of the 6,541 samples with lineages.

The government data showed 96 per cent of the samples sequenced in November had the Delta variant.

The highly contagious variant, allegedly responsible for the devastating second wave of Covid-19 in India, was detected in 99 per cent of the samples in October and 98 per cent in September, the data showed.

Ninety-seven per cent of the samples in August, 91 per cent in July and 89 per cent in August had the same variant.

The genome sequencing laboratory at the Lok Nayak Hospital also found the Delta variant in 101 of the 105 samples with lineages.

Doctors at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences found the variant in 531 of the 789 samples with lineages since the facility started sequencing Covid-19 samples in July.