Maha govt stricter unlocking norms after first Delta+ death reported in state

India is now dealing with another strain of Covid-19. On Saturday, India has reported its first death because of the new mutant variant – Delta plus. The first victim of the variant is an 80-year-old woman from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.

After the first death, the Maharashtra government has decided to make the unlocking rule stricter. Presently, the state has more than 20 active cases of the Delta Plus variant. 

Also Read: Explained: Can Mixing Vaccines Improve immunity? Read what AIIMS Chief has to say

Reportedly, Delta and Delta plus variant of SARS-Cov2 would be potentially responsible for the third wave of coronavirus, amid this, the Maharashtra government has said that while easing of restrictions can’t be risked and the deciding factors would be – RT–PCR and Rapid Antigen tests. 

The government also said that it would focus on the vaccination drive and would try to vaccinate as many people as it can. 

As per the latest orders released by the Maharashtra government, all administrative units, including Pune and Thane, would be placed under level 3 restrictions, which mean that the malls and other public places would remain closed and shops would have to close down till 4 pm.

India has labeled the Delta plus variant as the ‘variant of concern’, because of its characteristics like – transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells, and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response. 

As Delta plus variant is new, therefore, its severity is not known. It is also resistant to the monoclonal antibodies cocktail, the global science initiative has identified more than 60 genomes of the Delta variant along with the new K417. 

Also Read: Explained: Why Delta Plus variant of Covid has the world worried?

Here are the new restrictions by the Maharashtra government:

• All the administrative units would remain at a level, not below three till the order is withdrawn by SDMA. 
• Restrictions to be applied would depend on the weekly positivity rate, it must be determined only based on the RT-PCR test and not on Rapid Antigen or any other tests.
• DDMA would take the data from Public Health Department and it would be responsible to decide the level of restrictions that would be followed in various administration units, which falls under its jurisdiction. 
• DDMA would not require advance permission of SDMA for imposing higher restrictions and for going to the lower level, DDMA has to look into two week’s trends.