Turkey has identified three cases of the new Delta Plus COVID-19 variant in three provinces, its health minister said on Monday, adding that the separate Delta variant had also been identified in some 284 cases across 30 provinces, APA reports citing Reuters.
Health authorities say several major vaccines work against the highly contagious Delta variant, which is becoming globally dominant, but have raised concern new strains may evade some vaccines.
Some scientists say the Delta Plus variant may be even more contagious.
Turkey, which eased most restrictions on July 1, has reported nearly 5.5 million COVID-19 cases and some 50,000 deaths in total. A vaccination programme has ramped up to more than a million shots per day.
"The Delta Plus (variant) was seen in three people in three separate provinces (including) one in Istanbul," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Monday. "These people are in good condition."
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