Though the Covid-19 pandemic is now slowing down across the country, a new sub-variant of the Omicron variant, which has been responsible for the surge in the virus cases in Singapore recently, has been detected in parts of India.
A new Omicron sub-variant of Covid-19 that has been named XBB has been detected in India. The virus sub-variant was responsible was the recent spike in cases across Singapore, and has now been detected in Maharashtra, leading to a 17.7 percent rise in coronavirus cases compared to last week.
A health official department bulletin said the XBB variant reported in the state had a “growth advantage over BA.2.75 and immune evasive property”. The BA.2.3.20 and BQ.1 variants have also been detected in the state, a first for the country, it added.
Though only a few cases of the new XBB variant of Omicron have been detected in India, experts believe that this can be the cause behind a potential spike in coronavirus cases across the country, especially during the festive season.
A health bulletin said that new Covid-19 cases rose by 17.17 percent in the October 10-16 period when compared to last week between October 3 and 9, with the rise being noticed particularly in densely-populated Thane, Raigad, and Mumbai.
The bulletin further warned, “Some experts are predicting a rise (in cases) in the coming winter season, especially in festive environs.” People have been advised not to ignore flu-like symptoms and should seek the help of a medical professional if they are experiencing it.
The XBB is variant is being described as the combination of two sub-variants BA.2.75 and BJ.1, which have been responsible for the sharp surge of Covid-19 cases in Singapore since August. Though not much data is available on its fatality rate, it is believed to be highly transmissible and fast spreading.
Despite the emergence of new variants, the Covid-19 curve in India is slowly dipping and the rate of the spike in cases is slowing down. People have been urged to exercise caution during this festive season, authorities said.
(With PTI inputs)
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