Sri Lanka has detected the highly transmittable Delta variant of the Coronavirus, found in India, in five patients from Dematagoda on Thursday.
The Allergy, Immunity and Cell Biology Unit at the Sri Jayewardenepura University Director Dr. Chandima Jeewandara said the detection was made after recent genetic sequencing carried out in samples collected from among the community.
According to him the Delta variant has three disturbing qualities, it is highly transmittable, it causes severe disease, and it evades single dose vaccines. Therefore, those who have received only the first dose of the vaccine will have no immunity against this variant.
Director General of Health Services confirmed 51 more Covid-19 related deaths on June 16 pushing the official death toll due to the virus in Sri Lanka to 2,425. The country has reported 233,064 positive cases with 35,256 active cases by Friday.
The international media reported that the world Covid 19 figure passed four million last week.