Just as things seem like they are going back to normal, a new descendent of the Delta variant of Covid-19 has been discovered. Found in coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom, the AY.4.2 mutation has been classified as a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) by the UK Health Service Agency (UKHSA). The agency has also given it the name ‘Delta Plus’ or VUI-21Oct-01.

In India, cases of patients with the new variant have been detected in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. In a report released by the National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC), seven cases of this variant have been found in Indore and it has been found in 1 percent of samples collected in Maharashtra. There are reports of the variant emerging in other parts of the country too.

While the broader Delta variant was first reportedly found in India, it has also become a dominant variant in the UK. This latest mutation within it, the AY.4.2, was first discovered in July this year and has been spreading since then.

Amid discussions about the possibility of a third wave, Mid-day.com reached out to Dr Pruthu Narendra Dhekane, consultant - infectious diseases, Fortis Hospitals to understand more about the new mutation and if it should be a cause for concern for people in India. Dhekane stresses on the need for vaccination and following Covid-19 protocols at least until the end of next year.

What do we know about the AY.4.2 variant (Delta Plus/VUI-21OCT-01)?

Dhekane explains that in the UK, a lot of sequencing of people testing positive is done as there is a crisis-like situation with a large number of patients. Through this, they have found this new genetic sequencing of the Covid virus named Delta Plus. “Experts are not sure if it’s been officially declared as a ‘variant of concern’ as of right now but it’s a different variant that has come up.”

“We are expecting different variants of COVID-19 to come but whether this variant becomes a ‘variant of concern’ — which means whether it’s a variant with the potential of creating a pandemic situation, is the variant likely to break through people who are already vaccinated and having a good immune response against COVID-19 — is something we need to know,” he explains.