News Highlight
COVID XBB.1.16 variant: Tracker finds high cases in India.
Key Takeaway
- A new form of COVID XBB, XBB.1.16, is currently in the spotlight for driving infection cases in the country.
- According to an international COVID tracking tool, India has the most sequences of this sublineage, followed by Brunei, the United States, and Singapore, according to media reports.
- According to reports, this strain of the COVID virus could result in a new wave of infections.
XBB 1.16 variant in India
- Overview
- The INSACOG lab monitors the COVID virus’s genome sequencing.
- It sequenced the samples from new cases and discovered XBB.1.16, a fast-spreading variation in the XBB.1 family.
- According to INSACOG, 40 genome sequences of XBB.1.16 were reported from Maharashtra between January 1 and March 14.
- In addition, India recorded 2,082 new cases in the week ending March 8, up from 3,264 instances the previous week.
- The Union Health Ministry wrote to six states — Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka — where there has been an increase in COVID-19 cases.
- The situation is worst in Karnataka and Kerala, which have positivity rates of 2.77% and 2.64%, respectively, significantly higher than India’s average positivity rate of 0.61%.
- The number of new weekly cases in Karnataka increased from 493 in the week ending March 8 to 604 the following week.
- During the same period, the number of cases in Kerala increased from 434 to 579.
- The number of cases in Maharashtra increased from 355 in the week ending March 8 to 668 a week later, with the positive rate reaching 1.92%.
- The majority of cases in Gujarat are situated in Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
- The number of new weekly cases recorded by the state increased from 105 in the first week of March to 279 in the second week.
- The XBB.1.16 variation was detected in at least 26 genomic sequences from Gujarat samples.
- Furthermore, the Hyderabad district has reported the most instances in Telangana.
Proactive testing
- The Union Health Ministry has directed the states to assess COVID-19 at the district and subÂdistrict levels.
- In addition, implement a testing, tracking, treating, and immunisation strategy.
- According to the Ministry, the policy should involve adequate and proactive testing and surveillance of new and developing infection clusters.
- All influenza-like infections and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) cases should be monitored at a fever clinic.
XBB.1.16 lineage
- About
- The XBB.1.16 virus was discovered in SARSCoV2 sequences from India.
- It is a recombinant lineage of the virus and a descendant of the XBB lineage.
- The lineage has been primarily found in India.
- In addition, Spike has the mutation T478K in XBB.1.5.
- T478R is linked to immunological escape, or the virus’s capacity to resist antibodies developed by past infections or vaccinations.
- Cause for concern
- A rise in COVIDÂ-19 infections was also observed in India in March.
- Despite the low testing rate and the current rise in seasonal influenza H3N2 cases.
- The country’s overall number of active COVID-19 cases has surpassed 6,000.
- The rapidly spreading XBB.1.16 lineage is thought to be to blame for the current increase in COVID-19 infections in India.
- The most XBB.1.16 instances have been reported in Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
- Additionally, safeguarding the vulnerable with tried and true methods could greatly slow the spread of illnesses.
- A rise in COVIDÂ-19 infections was also observed in India in March.
Conclusion
- After 126 days, India’s single-day count of COVID-19 cases has recently surpassed 800, while the number of active topics has risen to 5,389.
- Furthermore, the increase in instances has raised concerns among health professionals.
- They advise people to practise Covid-appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated to help limit the virus’s transmission.
Pic Courtesy: freepik
Content Source: Times of India