Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong on Saturday informed that all Covid-19 cases detected in the State since the second wave started in April this year are “delta variant”.
“Medical experts have proved that cases from April this year are delta variant,” Tynsong told reporters after a review meeting to take stock of Covid-19 situation in the State.
He said that the difference between the virus in the first wave and the second wave is that if one is infected by the virus in the first wave he will spread it to another three.
“But with the delta variant it is double and one can spread the virus to another six persons,” the Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Health and Family Welfare department said.
According to him, the delta variant is “dangerous” because it is infectious therefore cases in the State are still increasing.
“Government tried its best to control the disease but it alone cannot do it since it is the responsibility of each and every citizen to strictly follow the protocols issued by the Health department,” Tynsong said.
He also said that citizens of the State does not seems to understand the potency of the delta variant even as he called upon all stakeholders like the traditional institutions to work hard and concentrate on taking care in their own areas.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary Health and Family Welfare department Sampath Kumar said that the delta variant has a 7 to 10 day infection period even as he added that congested surroundings also is another factor that spreads the virus faster.
“Vaccination reduces the infection. If vaccination rate is increased the infection will reduce by 80 per cent,” Kumar added.
Moreover, the Deputy Chief Minister also reiterated that experts have recommended that the only way to fight the virus is to get vaccinated.
According to Tynsong only 45 per cent of the eligible population in the State has been vaccinated either partially or fully.
He also said that the government is going the extra mile to ensure that even those persons who stay in inaccessible areas are vaccinated.
