India lost 776 doctors to COVID-19 second wave; Bihar records highest deaths, says IMA

As many as 776 doctors lost their lives in the second wave of Covid-19 so far, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has informed. As per the IMA data, Bihar saw the maximum of 115 deaths; followed by Delhi at 109; UP 79; West Bengal 62; Tamil Nadu 50; Rajasthan 44; Andhra Pradesh 40; Jharkhand 39; Odisha 34; Maharashtra 23; Karnataka 9 deaths; and Kerala 24.

During the first wave of Covid-19 last year, the country lost 748 doctors to the deadly virus. The second wave of coronavirus is still effective in the country but daily Covid-19 cases have seen a decline. On Saturday alone, India recorded 48,698 new COVID-19 cases, which is 5.7 per cent lower than Friday.

Also read: Delta variant is 'most transmissible' identified so far: WHO

As the overall cases see a decline, India is seeing a rise in patients infected with the new 'Delta Plus' variant. India has so far reported 52 cases of the new 'Delta Plus' variant. While 50 cases of the variant were reported across 18 districts, 2 new cases were added later, taking the total number of Delta Plus variant cases to 52, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Director Sujeet Singh said on Friday.

Earlier this week, the central government had declared the 'Delta Plus' variant as a 'variant of concern' in India. Eight states in the country -- Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal -- have more than 50 per cent of Delta variant cases, which is a 'variant of concern', Singh added.

Experts say the Delta Plus variant can bypass both vaccine and infection immunity. Professor Shahid Jameel, one of India's top virologists and a former member of INSACOG, said Delta plus has all the characteristics of the original Delta variant, along with the Beta variant mutation known as K417N, first discovered in South Africa. Hence, it may be capable of evading immunity from vaccination as well as earlier infections.

AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria has also said that the Delta Plus variant is extremely transmissible, and even walking next to a COVID-19 patient, who is a carrier of the variant, without a mask may lead to the spread of infection.

Also read: Centre exempts tax on COVID-19 treatment, death