Alpha and Eta variants Detected in Samples from Mizoram

Today, the State Nodal Officer & Official Spokesperson on COVID-19 Dr. Pachuau Lalmalsawma made an official announcement stating that a part from the Delta Variant, other variants of Covid-19 Alpha Variant and Eta Variant have been detected in the samples collected in Mizoram. 

100 swab samples were sent to National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) at Kalyani in West Bengal for Whole Genome Sequencing on June, 2021. The test results of these samples were received yesterday and 75 out of the 100 samples were said to contain the three different variants of Covid- 19. The Delta variant (B.1.617.2) was detected in 73 samples and the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) and Eta Variant (B.1.525) were detected in one sample each. 70 samples were sent from Aizawl district and 56 samples were said to have the Delta variant and the Alpha and Eta variant were found in one sample each. Out of the 10 samples sent from Lunglei district, 9 samples were said to have the Delta variant. 3 out of the 10 samples sent from Serchhip district were also said to have the Delta variant. 

Dr. Pachuau Lalmalsawma also added that though the Delta variant of the coronavirus has been found to be far more infectious than the original coronavirus, research and studies have shown that 0.1% have died among the patients infected with the Delta variant, 2% of the infected patients with Alpha variant are said to have died from the infection while 2.7% of the patients infected with the Eta variant have died. Among the new variants, the Eta variant is said to be the most infectious and fatal and 69% of those infected with this variant required ICU treatment. The Delta Variant is believed to be present in almost every country around the globe while the Alpha Variant has been detected in 175 countries and the Eta variant in 67 countries. 

Dr. Pachuau further added that since the Alpha and Eta variants are said to have originated from UK, the two variants could have been brought to the state by Mizo travellers who went outside the country which further spread within the community upon their return. The government is taking steps and measures to find out if Covid-19 patients in Mizoram are infected with other variants of the coronavirus. On July 15, 2021, another batch of 151 samples from Covid-19 patients have been sent for Whole Genome  Sequencing at NIBMG, Kalyani in West Bengal. The Delta variant has already been detected in 4 samples sent in April, 2021.