Covid: Delta variant 40-60% more transmissible than Alpha, says govt expert

The Delta variant, first detected in India is around 40 to 60 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha variant found first in the UK and the current vaccines are effective against the mutation, N K Arora, co-chair of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium.

The Delta-plus variant is still being studied for its transmissibility, virulence, and vaccine escape characteristics and, a health ministry press statement quoting Arora said.

“The cases may go up if a new, more infectious variant comes. In other words, the next wave will be driven by a virus variant to which a significant proportion of the