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‘Delta sweeping through at alarming rate’ 

07 Aug 2021

  • Delta identified as most potent variant of virus at present: Dr. Jeewandara 
  • Gene sequencing of 94 random samples found 56 infected with Delta 
 By Yumiko Perera  The Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus is sweeping through the country at an alarming speed, according to Sri Jayewardenepura University Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara.    Speaking with The Sunday Morning yesterday (7), 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.   Sharing this information through his official Twitter handle, Dr. Jeewadara included a graph depicting how the transmissibility of the Delta variant has accentuated within a month.   Furthermore, following a random sample analysis of PCR tests conducted islandwide, it was revealed that the number of Delta detections in the country had increased up to 117, and the number is likely to increase further, The Sunday Morning learnt. 


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