Cases Of Covid Variant Driving Massive China Surge Found In India

According to official sources, three instances of Omicron subvariant BF.7, which appears to be the strain driving China’s current rise of Covid cases, have been found in India so far.

Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre discovered the first case of BF.7 in India in October. According to them, two cases have been recorded from Gujarat, while one case has been reported from Odisha.

Experts noted at a Covid review meeting hosted by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday that while there has been no overall increase in Covid caseload, there is a need for continuing surveillance to keep track of existing and new varieties.

According to official sources in New Delhi, Chinese cities are currently being infected with the highly transmissible Omicron strain, primarily BF.7, which is the major variety circulating in Beijing and contributing to a larger rise of Covid infections in that country.

“The BF.7’s high transmissibility in China may be due to the Chinese population’s poor degree of immunity from past infection and potentially vaccination,” according to what an official source stated.

BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variation BA.5 and has the strongest infection ability since it is highly transmissible, has a shorter incubation period, and has a greater capability to cause reinfection or infect even individuals who have been vaccinated.

It has already been found in several other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and European countries such as Belgium, Germany, France, and Denmark.