Covid19: How big a threat is Omicron’s sub-variant BF.7 for India? Know the exact answer from experts
Coronavirus in India: Dr. Rajesh Karyakarte, who coordinated the genetic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Maharashtra, said that BF.7 is a sub-variant of BA.5, which has so far managed to cause more trouble in India. Has not happened, although it is responsible for increasing infection abroad. We plan to study why BA.5 hasn’t had the same impact in India as it has overseas.
New Delhi: In the midst of the ongoing Coronavirus havoc in many countries of the world including China, there is concern about the variants and sub-variants of Omicron variants in India as well. The fear has further increased due to the presence of XBB, BA.2.75 and BF.7 sub-variants in many parts of the country including Maharashtra. However, experts believe that this is not a major threat. Variants XBB and BA.2.75 of Corona Omicron have become quite common in Maharashtra. In addition, the BF.7 variant was recently confirmed in Maharashtra, prompting genome research experts to point out that the XBB and BA.2.75 variants are still the most prevalent locally and are being closely monitored
Some experts believe that the BF.7 strain, which originated from Omicron’s BA.5 variant, is not a major threat to India and that XBB is causing more Covid infections here, according to a report in The Times of India. The probability of occurrence may be higher. It was told that out of all the samples tested in Maharashtra, the XBB variant has been confirmed in half of the cases, while the BA.2.75 strain has been confirmed in the remaining samples. The BA.2.75 variant was prevalent in previous years before the emergence of XBB, but recent genome sequencing data suggest that BA.2.75 and its sublineages have made a resurgence.
Dr. Rajesh Karyakarte, who coordinated the genetic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Maharashtra, said that BF.7, a sub-variant of BA.5, has so far not managed to cause much trouble in India, Although it is responsible for increasing infection abroad. We plan to study why BA.5 hasn’t had the same impact in India as it has overseas. Please tell that this sub-variant i.e. BF.7 is causing havoc in China.
Experts believe that XBB’s descendants XBB.1 and XBB.1.5 have been found to have high immune evasion properties, although no such mutation has been found, which is more severe. Dr Jayanthi Shastri, former head of the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at Kasturba Hospital, said the new variants should not be a cause for concern, as they are mainly sub-lineages. At the same time, a civic doctor said that as long as the sub-variants of Omicron are running, Indians can heave a sigh of relief.
