MAHARASHTRA on Friday reported the first death from the ‘Delta Plus’ variant of COVID-19, with an octogenarian woman succumbing in Ratnagiri civil hospital, a senior official said.

The woman hails from Sangameswar and was admitted to the hospital, over 330 kilometres from Mumbai, a few days ago, Sanjay Shinde, Additional Collector, Ratnagiri told PTI.

He said, the woman’s death was being audited to see if she suffered from comorbidities.

Shinde said, district officials have been told to increase awareness as well as sensitise people about appropriate COVID-19 behaviour.

The characteristics of Delta Plus variant include increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells as well as reduction in monoclonal antibody response.