From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jun 25: Health and family welfare minister, Dr K Sudhakar has sought to allay fears of the people about the dangers of the Delta Plus variant of the Covid pandemic.

Speaking to media in Bengaluru on Friday, barely two cases of Delta Plus variant have been detected in the State with one in Bengaluru and the other in Mysuru.

Both the cases in Bengaluru and Mysuru had mild symptoms and the Mysuru patient has completely recovered. However, there was no severity in both the cases, he said.

Dr Sudhakar clarified that primary contacts of these cases have tested negative. Therefore, there is no need to panic about this virus. Genome sequencing is being done every day to detect new strains.

He mentioned that there is a surge in cases in Kerala. The positivity rate is more than 10% there. We need to be cautious as we share a border with this State. The same is the case with Maharashtra. We need to conduct more tests in border areas.

"We have instructed the district administrations to conduct more tests in border areas,’’ said Dr Sudhakar.

However, he said it is not appropriate to close the borders but need to be more careful.

"We need to be cautious at bus and railway stations. Six genome sequencing labs are being set up at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi, Mangaluru and Vijayapura. There is some difference in the treatment protocol for Delta and Delta Plus variants. All these will be discussed with experts in the meeting with the chief minister,’’ he said.

500 oxygen concentrators handed over

Dr Sudhakar attended the handing over of 500 oxygen concentrators and 10,000 concentrator tubes by Sneha Charitable Trust to the state government.

The Trust has assured help of Rs 28 crore for Covid control measures. It has also set up a hospital for care of post-Covid patients, he said expressing gratitude for this gesture by the Trust.