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Covid-19 Delta variant more fatal and virulent

09 Aug 2021

To a world that has become weary yet accustomed to playing defence against Covid-19, the evolution of the Delta variant is both unwelcome and unsurprising. Within a matter of months, this particular variant spread to over 98 countries around the world, becoming the dominant variant in more than a dozen of those countries, including India, Scotland, the UK, Israel, and the US. The Delta variant of the coronavirus, first detected in India, has now been detected in neighbouring Sri Lanka, and is sweeping through the country at an alarming speed, as reported by many officials in the country. Initially detected in the Dematagoda area, the strain has spread rapidly to many other parts of the country, bringing in its wake a bigger caseload, which has overwhelmed the country’s health sector. Most potent strain  Speaking to Sri Jayewardenepura University Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, he stated that the most potent strain of the virus in the country appears to be the Delta variant at the moment.  “We recently conducted gene sequencing on 94 random samples, out of which 56 turned out to be positive for the Delta variant,” he said, and further went on to note that a report in this regard had been handed over to the Ministry of Health.  Meanwhile, PCR samples obtained from the Colombo area over the past week, revealed that more than 75% of the patients that were detected were infected with the Delta strain, whereas only 9.3% of patients with the Delta strain had been detected during the first week of July, showing a significant spread of the Delta variant in the country, overtaking the spread of the Alpha strain.  Following these concerning numbers, we also learnt that following a random sample analysis of PCR tests conducted islandwide, it was revealed that the number of Delta strain detections in the country had increased up to 117, and the number is likely to increase further.  Speaking to Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) Vice President and Consultant Endocrinologist Dr. Manilka Sumanatilleke, he informed us that the Delta variant can be called more fatal as it causes severe respiratory symptoms, and since it is highly transmissible, the number of patients increases. Therefore, the need for oxygen and hospital beds also increase, which at the rate of its spreading, seems to be getting out of hand. “We are facing a critical situation at the moment. The hospitals are filled and they are reaching their maximum capacity. In any country, if you can't treat the patients, then the mortality rate increases rapidly.”  He further informed us that the death rate is about 1.5%, adding that it will increase drastically if we can't give patients the proper treatment. “At the moment, there is no drastic increase in the number of deaths because we are treating them with maximum support. The increase in deaths currently may not be because of the virus, but because of the breakdown of health services.” Need for lockdown?  As hospitals and allied medical facilities reached breaking point in the backdrop of the virulent Delta strain of the coronavirus, Sri Lanka’s top national professional medical body called for the re-imposition of travel restrictions to curb the rapid transmission of the deadly variant. “That’s the only solution to combat surging caseloads in the short term,” informed the SLMA. The final outcome could be disastrous if there’s no decisive action at this juncture to clamp down on unrestricted public movement as the country is on the brink of the fourth wave, Dr. Sumanatilleke warned.  The Colombo area was found to be particularly vulnerable as most of the positive cases that have emerged so far were linked to the highly transmissible Delta variant, medical officials said. The rapid spread of the strain in Colombo has become increasingly clear because in the first week of July, only 13% Delta variant infections were found following laboratory testing on Covid-19 variants.  “The situation is so grave that there are three Covid-19-linked deaths in Sri Lanka every hour. The frequency of accommodating patients has already been exceeded in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Kurunegala, and Puttalam,” Dr. Sumanatilleke explained.  The number of patients and deaths from Covid-19 seem to be caused by the Delta variant. “This variant seems to be spreading really fast from other countries. We know that the Delta variant is highly transmissible than the other variants,” he added.  Dr. Sumanatilleke also explained that for example, if the Alpha variant transfers to two-three people, the Delta variant will transfer to seven.  “The infection is spreading super fast,” the SLMA cautioned us, while pointing out that the spike in the caseload and the mortality rate reported on a daily basis was due to Delta surfacing as the dominant Covid-19 strain.  Although the SLMA and other professional medical bodies have called for a fresh travel ban, there has still not been a positive response from the health sector. It is reported that Government medical officials have expressed confidence that galloping infection numbers can be tackled by broad-basing the ongoing inoculation drive. We have to question whether this is actually the case, when taking into consideration the soaring number of cases in the past few days. We, as citizens, can only stay home and adhere to health precautions in order to prevent the spread without waiting for a lockdown to be imposed.  Precautions  Humanity has its hands full as the virus continues to mutate and evolve potential mechanisms to escape the immune defences its hosts have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to develop. In addition to the variants of concern currently being monitored, researchers are keeping an eye on a number of variants of interest, including the Lambda variant.  Many vaccines have been shown to provide strong protection against Covid-19. Now, growing evidence finds that they also substantially reduce the risk of passing on the virus Covid-19 – crucial information for governments making decisions about how best to control the pandemic.  However, the studies were done before the highly transmissible Delta variant became prevalent – and scientists say it might be more easily spread by vaccinated people than the earlier variants. Fortunately for us, researchers from one of Sri Lanka’s leading universities, the Sri Jayewardenepura University, have found that China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine is highly efficient against the Delta variant which has become the dominant variant across the world.  Dr. Sumanatilleke stressed that even if a lockdown or travel restrictions are imposed, it is important for citizens to remain vigilant, once they are lifted. “If they neglect to wear masks and wash hands then the spread will keep increasing. The most important thing is to stay home and avoid partaking in large gatherings.” He advised the population to self-isolate if they are showing symptoms and get a PCR done as soon as possible to prevent further transmission. Right now, with such a high number of cases, it is impossible for PHIs to strongly impose quarantine measures, so it is the individual’s responsibility to stay home, even if it is a family member that has the virus. 

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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!


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