Chennai, Jun 20 (IANS): A recent study on the genome sequencing of the SARS- Cov2 released by the Tamil Nadu's health department shows that the widespread infection in the state was due to the Delta variant.

The World Health Organisation( WHO) has categorised the Delta variant of the virus as a Variant of Concern( VOC).

The WHO study has also found that it is the main cause of the spread of the disease in India.

According to the TN health department's study, out of the 554 samples tested between December 2020 and May 2021, 386( 70 per cent) samples were found to be Delta variants ( B.1.617.2.). This is followed by the Alpha variant at 8.5 per cent.

The Delta variant was predominantly reported among the adolescent and adults above 12 years of age(81 per cent) compared to children (19 per cent).

The study also found that the Delta variant was largely seen in community clusters and family clusters.

Tamil Nadu has now brought the Covid -19 under control and relaxations are given in 27 districts of the state with the Western Region still under tough lockdown measures as there is not much of a reduction in cases.

Suchithra Menon, Virologist, told IANS: "World Health Organisation(WHO) has categorised the Delta variant of the SARS-COV2 virus as more transferable than the parent virus and now the study of the TN public health department has found that this variant has caused much of a concern in the state.

We should not let our guard down as the possibility of a third wave looms large on the horizon. Vaccination of maximum population, wear masks, safe distancing and hand sanitisation should continue to prevent from the Covid-19 attack."