India has 48 ‘localised’ cases of Delta Plus variant, ICMR chief

India has detected around 48 cases of the Delta Plus COVID-19 variant, which till now have had a localised impact in terms of spread, Balaram Bhargava, the Director of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), said on Friday, 25 June, reported news agency ANI.

Bhargava said that the Delta Plus variant had been isolated and cultured, while assuring the country that results of the efficacy of vaccines against it would be published soon.

Further, Bhargava said that both Covishield and Covaxin work against the four variants of COVID-19 – Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta.

The Delta Plus variant, now a variant of concern in India, has been found in 12 countries, he said.

Speaking on the vaccination of those below 18, Bhargava said that the country would not be able to vaccinate children in large number till the time studies and data on vaccination of that specific age group are released.

He added that India has started a “small study” to understand the impact of vaccines on children between 2 to 18 years of age, the results of which could be out by September this year. The Quint