The earliest documented COVID-19 case caused by the Delta variant was found in the Indian state of Maharashtra back in October 2020, with the WHO labelling it a “variant of concern” on May 11. The WHO, on May 31, announced that the mutated variant would henceforth be referred to as the Delta variant, in accordance with the UK variant being labelled as Alpha and the South African Beta. He said, “The mother variant, B.1.617, came from India, but the daughter, B.1.617.2, which is the Delta variant, is supposed to be more transmissible. Prof David Olaleye of the Department of Virology, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, also stated that, according to scientists’ observations, the mutation of the Delta variant showed a higher level of adaptability in humans. Olaleye said, “The main thing we know today about the Delta variant compared with the other variants is that it is more transmissible than the others, which means it spreads faster.

Source: Punch July 03, 2021 23:52 UTC