Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma said that 11 cases of Kappa variant are found in Rajasthan, four from each of Jaipur and Alwar; two from Barmer, and one from Bhilwara.
Earlier in Uttar Pradesh, two cases of this variant were found as genome sequencing of 109 samples, conducted at Lucknow's King George's Medical College, which returned a positive result for the Kappa variant in two samples while the remaining 107 were found positive with the Delta variant.
Addressing a press brief, Dr. VK Paul, a member, NITI Aayog, clarified that Kappa is a "variant of interest" and that it is not a new variant as its cases have been reported in the country earlier as well. Further said that Kappa is of "much less intensity" and was first reported in February and March this year.
IGIB lab in Delhi confirmed the presence of the Kappa variant in nine samples through genome sequencing, the rest two samples were confirmed by SMS Medical College and Hospital in Jaipur.
Kappa variant is moderate compared to the Delta variant of Covid-19. But the public has to follow Covid's appropriate behavior with full discipline.
Rajasthan reported 33 new Covid-19 cases which pushed the state's infection tally to 9,53,159. The death toll stands at 8,945.