Delta Covid variant found in community for first time in Sri Lanka
June 17, 2021 02:39 pm
Sri Lanka today confirmed that the highly-contagious Delta variant of Covid-19, first identified in India, has been detected from community samples obtained in Colombo.
This was revealed by the Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Dr. Chandima Jeewandara.
He said the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2, has been detected from 5 samples which were all obtained from Dematagoda in Colombo.
Dr. Jeewandara said this is the first time that the Indian variant has been detected from community samples in Sri Lanka.
A strain believed to be more transmissible or cause more serious disease, the variant was first identified in India, decimating the nation’s health care system.
The Delta variant had also quickly become the dominant strain in the United Kingdom.
