Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS): In an alarming development, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday revealed that Mumbai has a staggering 128 patients of the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 besides of Alpha, Kappa and other strains.

The figures emerged from the tests conducted on the first batch of 188 samples at the BMC's Kasturba Hospital.

While 128 patients are found infected with the Delta Plus, two were Alpha types, 24 were Kappa types, and the rest showing common Covid-19 virus infections.

The tests were conducted at the state-of-the-art Next Generation Genome Sequencing Lab at the Kasturba Hospital, inaugurated by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray earlier this month.

As on August 16, the state had reported a total of 76 Delta Plus cases plus 5 deaths, including 2 from Ratnagiri, and one each from Mumbai, Raigad and Beed, all senior citizens.

Exercising extreme precautions, the state Health Department has launched a search for the close contacts of all infectees on a war footing, besides ascertaining their travel history, vaccination status, recent medical status and other relevant details to prevent more infections, said the officials.

In view of the latest results, the BMC has made a fresh appeal to the people to strictly adhere to all Covid-19 protocols like wearing face-masks, maintain physical distancing, use sanitisers, hygiene, etc.