Delta counts 15 pc TN cases, experts advise caution

Though the COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu have come down, at least 15 per cent of people are infected with the Delta variant, claim public health experts who advise the public to be more cautious by following COVID protocol strictly than earlier as many variants of the pandemic virus are detected in the State.

“In December 2021, the State witnessed at least 600 cases of Delta variant, which means at least 15 per cent of people are infected with Delta variant of COVID-19 in the State, involving respiratory issues. Though the number of COVID cases has come down, the percentage remains the same. We take only 600-1,000 samples per month for genomic sequence,” said Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan.

He added that in Maharashtra, doctors claim that people are reinfected with Omicron, i.e. those already tested for Omicron are infected again. “Meanwhile, even as the cases have reduced, people should be even more cautious and get vaccinated because vaccination is one of the reasons that the cases have not reached their peak,” said Radhakrishnan.

The good news is that only people with comorbid conditions, especially senior citizens, who are detected with s-gene drop are hospitalised for treatment.

“In zone 1 and zone 3 of Chennai corporation, where we get cases from, since December 11, 2021, we witnessed that t majority of cases are s-gene drop, and the positivity rate was 40 per cent. Whereas from last week, it has drastically reduced to 2.5 per cent. Currently, people detected with s-gene drop, especially senior citizens with comorbid conditions, alone are hospitalised for treatment, which is very minimal in the city,” said Dr Dilli Rani, Professor and Head - Department of Microbiology, Government Stanley Hospital.