PANAJI
As has been the trend nationally and internationally, the mayhem unleashed by Coronavirus through the second wave of infections in April-May this year was due to the 'delta' mutant, results of genome sequencing of some 184 samples of Covid patients at the peak of the wave have revealed.
Of the 184 samples tested at genome sequencing laboratories, 173 have come positive for the delta mutant but not a single one turned out to be the more potent and deadly 'delta plus' mutant, officials said.
Also, samples of some 69 Covid-19 patients were sent for genome sequencing after the second wave ebbed recently and 64 of these are positive for the delta mutant of the coronavirus.
Health officials at the core of Goa's offensive against the dreaded virus are breathing easy over the finding that no case of 'delta plus' mutant has been detected so far.
But with the Covid-19 situation in Kerala precarious owing to the 'delta plus' mutant a sense of unease continues to prevail within Goa's core response team.
"We have to proceed very cautiously. We may have to return to the strategy of intensive 'contact tracing' if this delta plus mutant makes its way to the State," a senior doctor at GMC said.
Goa has imposed severe restrictions on travellers coming in from Kerala making an RT-PCR negative test mandatory to enter the State.
