Raipur: Out of the 600 random samples sent for genome sequencing to detect the COVID strain, 93 of them were identified as UK B.1.617 double mutations.
State Administration attributes this spread to the interstate travellers from the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Nodal COVID Official said,” the random samples were sent to a lab in Bhubaneshwar, to detect the existence of mutated strain in Chhattisgarh.”
The reported double mutant of UK B.1.617 strain is reported to be highly infectious and transmissible in nature.
The strain is prevalent in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, and bordering states of Chhattisgarh, causing transmission since March when the interstate borders were opened. This caused an increase in Covid cases in Raipur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon districts. This transmissibility has led to a surge in Covid cases in the past two months.
On March 10, the state health department reported 3,15,486 with the addition of 456 cases, while the death toll mounted by eight to 3,872. Whereas on 10 May, 8,51,476 cases were reported with a tally of active cases of 1,26,547 and 189 deaths.