Delta Covid variant now reported in 185 countries: WHO

Geneva: According to the World Health Organization, the Delta Covid variant is the current dominant strain of the infectious virus, with its presence reported in 185 countries as of September 21.

The global health agency in its weekly epidemiological update said, "The Delta variant now accounted for 90 per cent of the sequences submitted to GISAID with a sample collection date (between 15 June-15 September 2021)".

GISAID (Global Initiative for Sharing Avian Influenza Data) is an open-access database.

Meanwhile, the UN health agency has changed the classification of Eta (detected in 81 countries), Iota (identified in at least 49 countries), and Kappa (spread to 57 countries) from variants of interest (VOI) to variants under monitoring (VUM) due to their significant decrease in global incidence.

"The VOIs Eta (B.1.525), Iota (B.1.526) and Kappa (B.1.617.1) have been reclassified as 'former VOIs'. These will now be assessed as Variants Under Monitoring," the WHO said.

"The revision reflects the rapid spread and current dominance of the Delta variant in most regions of the world," it added.