Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar told the media here Wednesday that "There are two suspected cases of AY.4.2 variant of viruses and I have instructed my department to send the samples for genomic sequencing for confirmation."
The samples have been sent to the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bengaluru for testing. Both the affected persons are from Bengaluru and are asymptomatic.
Sudhakar said the state has started genome sequencing and has set up six-seven (genome) labs in the state. Whenever a new variant emerges the state can immediately get the advice of the experts and discuss with the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), he said.
The minister said there was no need to panic as the state government has taken enough steps to check the spread of the disease.
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Meanwhile, over 50% of the eligible population, over the age of 18 years, has received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine in seven districts in Karnataka.
According to data shared by the Karnataka Covid-19 war room, Bengaluru Urban district led the chart with 68.3% of its population having been vaccinated with both doses. Ramanagara district also saw 54% of its population completely inoculated, while the figure for Tumakuru district was 51%. Kodagu, Kolar, Chikkabalapura and Udupi districts have inoculated 50% of its eligible population so far.
Bengaluru Urban district also tops the chart for the most number of the first dose having been administered, at 118.6% (the figure includes the city’s floating population). This is followed by Kodagu (96%), Hasan (90%) and Chikkabalapura, Chikamagalur and Dakshina Kannada at 89%.
