New Delhi: The Delta variant of coronavirus has been detected in at least 80 per cent of the samples sent for genome sequencing by the Delhi government in the last three months, according to official data.
At a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, which devises Covid management policies for the capital, the health department shared that the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) has been detected in 83.3 per cent of the samples sent for genome sequencing in Delhi in July.
In May and June, the variant was found in 81.7 per cent and 88.6 per cent of the samples, respectively.
In April, it was found in 53.9 per cent of the samples.
The data also showed that the Delta variant has been found in 1,689 of the 5,752 samples from Delhi processed at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) so far.
The Alpha variant ( B.1.1.7) has been detected in 947 samples.
Both Alpha and Delta variants have been classified as "variants of concern" by the World Health Organisation.
Meanwhile, as the Capital brings into force the GRAP from today (Monday), it reported 66 fresh Covid cases and zero deaths from the virus on Sunday, as per the government's health bulletin.
The positivity rate stood at 0.10 per cent — which is a marginal increase compared to the data from the last few weeks.
The death toll stands at 25,066 as of Sunday and active cases had reached 536.
Since the second wave subsided here, the Delhi government has managed to keep active cases in the 500s for weeks now.
But the Delhi government's health department has also sounded the alarm over slow-paced Covid vaccination, presenting to the DDMA recently that the Centre's slow and unstable supply chain would mean that it would take another year for all of Delhi's adults to be vaccinated.
Officials said around 1.5 crore beneficiaries are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in the national capital and three crore doses are required to fully inoculate them.
Moreover, in preparation, 45 PSA oxygen plants of 55.46 metric tonnes capacity have been commissioned in government hospitals in the national capital as part of preparations for a possible third wave of COVID-19, the DDMA was told.
Eighteen such plants of 21.06 MT capacity will be commissioned by August 15, health department officials said.
According to the officials, around 160 PSA oxygen generation plants with a total capacity of 148.11 metric tonnes are being installed at various government and private hospitals in the city.