Fifteen people in Myanmar have been identified as having contracted the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, the junta-controlled Ministry of Health said in a statement on August 31.

The Delta-infected patients are one each from the Arakan State capital Sittwe and Taungoo, Lashio, Monywa, Mawlamyine and Kalay; two each from Yangon and Mandalay; and five from Nay Pyi Taw, the statement said.

They were tested on August 28 and subsequently diagnosed with the coronavirus Delta variant.

According to the World Health Organization, the Delta variant was first detected in India and is now considered endemic in 163 countries around the world.

The Delta variant is more contagious, which could increase the overall death toll related to the virus, officials from the Ministry of Health said.

The new coronavirus variant could also reduce the effectiveness of some Covid-19 vaccines, the Ministry of Health statement added.