The Delta version of Sars-CoV-2 is also on the advance in Munich. According to the Becker & Kollegen laboratory, which, among other things, evaluates the tests from Theresienwiese, the proportion of the mutation first discovered in India between June 14 and 20 is 24.6 percent of all positive PCR tests carried out by the laboratory has evaluated. In the week before, the proportion was still eleven percent, according to the laboratory.
This was initially reported by the pharmacy survey. These numbers show more than doubling within a week, which can easily be overlooked as the incidences and thus the total number of infections are falling. And although it is only one of many laboratories that evaluates samples from Munich, the numbers are probably showing a real trend. Health officer Beatrix Zurek (SPD) also said in the health committee on Thursday: “We are assuming that the Delta variant is now 25 percent”. The big catch, however, is that at the moment it cannot really be proven across the board for all positive PCR tests in Munich. “We have to estimate in a way,” said Zurek.
The reason: With current methods, most laboratories are not yet able to identify the delta variant quickly. Only when the alpha variant, i.e. the mutation initially discovered in Great Britain, has been excluded, can the sample be sent for genome sequencing. And it may take up to 14 days before the result is available. Of course, much too late for such a rapid spread, as the figures from the Becker & Kollegen laboratory suggest. In spring, this laboratory was also the first to point out the rapid spread of the alpha variant. It had applied methods relatively quickly to detect mutations at individual points in the virus genome by means of specific PCR tests without having to carry out the entire sequencing.
The current somewhat shaky data situation in the city worries some city councilors. Hannah Gerstenkorn from the Greens said that the Delta variant made her “uncomfortable”. It is high time to think of concepts that can be used to protect children and young people under the age of twelve, for whom there is still no vaccination, from infection. Hans Theiss from the CSU warned that the health department should “absolutely keep an eye on developments”, especially if there were doubles. “The question is whether we are moving towards autumn with a false sense of security,” said Theiss. After all, only then do you really know whether the “vaccination bulwark” is really holding up. The head of the crisis team, Wolfgang Schäuble, had previously noted that, according to current projections, around 75 percent of Munich residents will be vaccinated in the course of September.
Zurek himself was also critical of the fact that at the moment there is no more precise information about the spread of the mutant in Munich. “That is why we see the relaxation with one crying and one laughing eye,” said the health officer. Several councilors then expressed concerns about whether the quarter-finals should take place on July 2nd as planned. Above all, the persistent disregard of the mask requirement among the spectators is dangerous with such crowds. “The organizer did everything possible,” said Zurek. There were repeated requests in the stadium to put on the mask, helpers walked through the rows. One simply has to take note that enforcing the mask requirement at soccer games is “not possible”. Nevertheless: In the end, several city councilors voted in favor of the game in Munich.