The deadly Delta or Indian variant of coronavirus has been detected in the two-third samples of COVID-19 patients in Dhaka.
A group of scientists of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) have detected the Delta variants after examining the samples of COVID patients at their labs at Mohakhali in Dhaka.
ICDDR,B's media manager AKM Tariful Islam told journalists on Thursday that Delta variant was found examining the samples of 68 per cent COVID-19 patients in Dhaka.
He said the ICDDR,B scientists found Delta's infection in 68 per cent of the patients after analysing the genome sequences of the samples received from 60 COVID patients in the last week of May and the first week of June in Dhaka.
The Delta variant was previously known as the "Indian variant", as it was first found in India.
The variant, first identified in India, has changed how the virus is spreading. It has also changed the symptoms with a headache, sore throat and runny nose now the most commonly reported.
The most severe cases involving the Delta variant appear to be in unvaccinated people or those who are only partially vaccinated, experts said. It does seem to be a more dangerous variant. That said, two doses of the vaccine seem to be very protective, an expert suggested.
Scientists in the United States are anxiously watching the Delta variant of Covid-19.
SZA