The COVID-19 variant first found in India will henceforth be referred to as the "Delta variant", the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today. Covid-19 variants are to be known by letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid stigmatising nations where they were first detected, it said.
The new system applies to variants of concern -- the most troubling of which four are in circulation -- and the second-level variants of interest being tracked.
"They will not replace existing scientific names, but are aimed to help in public discussion," said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's Covid-19 technical lead.
New cases of coronavirus infection in India were recorded over 1.52 lakh, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 2,80,47,534 according to the Union Health Ministry data.
The COVID-19 active caseload is 20,26,092 which now comprises 7.22 per cent of the total infections.
The recovery rate is 91.60 per cent, the data stated.
A total of 1,52,734 new infections were registered in a day, while the death count increased to 3,29,100 with 3,128 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Meanwhile, with more than 8,000 children catching the coronavirus in the month of May in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, the state has started taking extra steps to minimise the impact of a possible third wave of COVID-19 that may affect children more.
In Maharashtra's Sangli city, a COVID-19 ward is being prepared especially for children. Currently, five children are being treated here and the facility is being prepared for more patients.
"We have prepared this Covid ward for kids so that if and when the third wave comes, we are prepared. And kids will not feel they are in a hospital but instead will feel they are in a school or a nursery," corporator Abhijit Bhosale said.
