98% COVID Patients Infected with Delta Variant: BSMMU

98 percent of all Covid-19 patients in the country are infected by the extremely contagious delta variant.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, who is also the BSMMU genome sequencing research project supervisor made the remarks in a press statement.

The variant, also known as B.1.617.2, has spread fast in the country, wreaking havoc across Bangladesh as it has been done across the world.

According to the press release issued today, the remaining variants revealed in the collected swab sample sequencing in the country where the South African variant (B.1.351) and the newly discovered Nigerian variant (B.1.525).

Previously, in December 2020, the Alpha or UK variant was dominant, and in March 2021, the Beta or South African variant took the highest toll.

The mortality rate is higher among patients with comorbidities, such as diabetes, cancer, respiratory and lung disorders, according to the first-month findings of the BMSSU Covid-19 genome sequencing project.

Furthermore, people aged 60 and up are more likely to succumb to the lethal virus if they get it for the second time.

The effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccinations, on the other hand, are still being investigated.

The goal of the Covid-19 genome sequencing project is to discover the genome's personality by establishing the type of mutation and determining its relationship to globally dominant variants while building a genome database.

According to a news release provided by BSSMU, after analyzing the sample sequencing of at least 3,000 patients, the national database, as well as a global network of Covid-19 databases can be created.

During the first part of the ongoing study, nasopharyngeal swab samples from 300 Covid-positive individuals across the country – ranging in age from nine months to 90 years – were evaluated using Next-Generation sequencing (NGS) technology from June 29 to July 30.

With a new wave of Covid-19 infections caused by the Delta variation sweeping the globe, disease specialists are trying to figure out if the current version of the coronavirus is making people sicker than before - particularly the unvaccinated.

According to an internal assessment made public on Friday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that Delta, which was initially found in India and is now prevalent worldwide is "likely more severe" than past generations of the virus.

People infected with the Delta variant were more likely to be hospitalized than patients earlier in the pandemic, according to data from Canada, Singapore, and Scotland.