The Delta variant of COVID-19 virus continues to be the main variant of concern (VOC) in India, while other variants of interest (VOI) or concern are now negligible in sequencing data from the country, said the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).
INSACOG in its bulletin said there is no change in the global scenario while it also noted that, in India, Delta (B.1.617.2 and AY.x) continues to be the main variant of concern.
“Delta, including B.1.617.2 (AY) and AY.x sublineages, continues to be the main VOC globally. As per the latest WHO update, Delta has outcompeted other variants in most countries and there is now declining prevalence of other variants among SARS-CoV-2 sequences submitted to publicly available datasets or reported to WHO,” it said.
“No new VOI or VOC are noted, and other VOC and VOI other than Delta are now negligible in sequencing data from India,” it said.
Delta variant was first detected in India in October last year. The variant was the reason for the devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country, which was at its peak in April and May. INSACOG, a consortium of 28 national laboratories, was set up in December 2020 to monitor the genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 causing virus.