Agartala: Tripura Health Department has issued a warning to follow the highest level of precaution at the personal level and follow Covid-appropriate behavior at the community level after detection of deadly double mutant coronavirus strain in the state.
Head of the Microbiology Department in Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMC) Dr Tapan Majumdar said in the last three days as many as 11 samples were found double mutants while five samples were UK variants and one was South African variant and of course, all of them have travel history.
He indicated that these variants of virus are deadly and affect the respiratory system very fast and during the second wave of Covid-19, these variants of virus have been killing people in different states including Maharashtra and Delhi despite having comparatively best healthcare facilities.
“If this variant spread in Tripura, it would be very difficult to manage the situation. So, preventive actions and following Covid appropriate behavior are the only option left with us to fight against the strains of Covid in the present situation,” Dr Majumdar stated.
He pointed out that the outbreak of coronavirus was first reported in December 2019 and since then; the virus has been kept on changing its character from time to time. Three types of the virus were found in Tripura from April to December last year. The virus strain is more dangerous than last year, and the vaccine has failed to make much impact on it.
He also expressed concern that 19 samples were sent to Virology Laboratory in Kalyani of West Bengal, of which 17 samples were found there. Not only that, one person has already died of double mutant infection here. Dr Majumdar claimed. However, there is no evidence that a Brazilian variant has yet been found in Tripura.
Earlier, laboratory tests in National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune had confirmed the existence of the mortally dangerous virus in the bodies of two patients including a doctor who died. How many of them will survive the existence of the virus in their bodies remains uncertain but experts here are convinced that the deadlier form of the ‘double mutant’ has come from Maharashtra.
