IEDCR: 78% Covid cases in June caused by Delta variant

Published at 08:12 pm July 4th, 2021

Seasonal fruit sellers, workers are seen outside without masks, defying the government issued Covid-19 health safety rules during the fourth day of the nationwide lockdown on a Dhaka street on Sunday, July 4, 2021 Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune

Health authorities first identified the Delta variant of Sars-CoV-2 in Bangladesh on May 8

The Indian-origin Delta variant of Sars-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, is currently the most active variant in Bangladesh, confirms the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

The Delta variant established its dominance in June as it was found in 78% of the total samples sequenced during the month, the IEDCR said in a report on Sunday.

The IEDCR confirmed identification of Delta variant in the country for the first time on May 8, and within a month, they confirmed that the variant already had community transmission in the country.

The latest report said the IEDCR, along with icddr,b and iDeshi, had sequenced some 646 genome from January to end of June.

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They have found the presence of Alpha variant (UK variant), Beta variant (South African variant), Delta variant, Eta variant (Nigerian variant) and an unknown variant (B.1.1.618).

Termed Variant of Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO), Delta is highly transmissible compared to other contemporary variants of Sars-CoV-2.

According to the IEDCR, the unknown variant had the most prevalence during December, January and February while it was decreasing during March, April and May.

Beta variant maintained its dominance during March and April. Researchers found the presence of Beta variant in 82% of cases in March.

In May, Beta and Delta clearly had the dominance. Over 40% of the samples carried Beta variant while Delta found in 45% of the cases.