80pc corona cases Indian variant: Govt study

Coronavirus

The Indian variant is responsible for 80 per cent of the coronavirus cases in the country, a government study revealed. The study also found evidence of community transmission of this type, known as Delta variant.

Other than this, an unknown variant has been traced through this research.

The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (IDSHI) have sequenced the genomes of 50 Covid-19 samples.

The research said, of 50 sequenced samples, 40 were Delta type, 8 were Beta or South African variant, one circulating and one unidentified variant.

Delta variant first detected in the country on 8 May. Among the Delta infected, 14 didn’t travel abroad, nor maintain any close contact with abroad returnees. This indicates that community transmission of this variant exits in the country.

Of the 16 samples collected from Chapainawabganj, 15 were Delta variants with all seven samples of Gopalganj also being the Delta variant. Three of the samples collected from Khulna were Indian variants with two of four samples collected from Dhaka.

Besides, the Delta variant was found in samples collected from Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Bagerhat, Jhenaidah and Pirojpur.