China Covid variant reaches India: 4 cases of BF.7 reported so far; 10 points
So far, the country has reported four cases, with two detected in Gujarat and one case in Odisha. In Gujarat, two new cases of BF.7 have been detected in Vadodara and Ahmedabad.
Covid variant BF.7, which has been responsible for the Covid surge being reported in China, has reached India. So far, the country has reported four cases, with three detected in Gujarat and one case in Odisha. In Gujarat, three cases of BF.7 have been detected in Vadodara and Ahmedabad. A 61-year-old woman living in the Sabhanpura area of Vadodara has tested positive for the new variant, which is behind the massive surge in China.
Here are ten things to know about this Omicron sub-variant
- The Gujarat Health Department on Wednesday said that two patients infected with BF.7 and BF 12 variants of Omicron were reported in July-October-November-2022. The department said these patients were treated in home isolation and have fully recovered.
BF.7 is a sub-lineage of Omicron, a highly infectious variant responsible for the third wave in India. The third wave in India was less severe than the second which was driven by Delta. The effect of Omicron was milder as India had boosted vaccination and the majority of people had developed natural immunity after being infected in the second wave.
- Besides India and China, BF.7 has been detected in the US, the UK, and several European countries like Belgium, Germany, France, and Denmark.
- BF.7 is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant BA.5 and has the strongest infection ability since it is highly transmissible, has a shorter incubation period, and has a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those vaccinated.
- Amid a surge in Covid cases, demands are now being made to suspend flights to and from affected countries like China. The Centre is planning to start random Covid testing at airports for international travellers, India Today reported today.
- Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya today chaired a high-level meeting to review the Covid situation in India and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment, and management of the infection in view of the recent spike in China.
- Underlying and reiterating that Covid is not over yet, Mandaviya directed the officials to be fully geared up and strengthen surveillance. He urged people to get vaccinated against Covid.
- The minister also directed the officials to strengthen the surveillance system for whole genome sequencing of positive case samples to track the variants through the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network to ensure the timely detection of newer variants, if any, circulating in the country.
- "This would facilitate the undertaking of appropriate public health measures. States/UTs have been requested to send samples of all COVID-19 positive cases to INSACOG Genome Sequencing Laboratories (IGSLs) on a daily basis, for sequencing, to track new variants, if any," he said.
- Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, NITI Aayog today appealed to people, especially senior citizens, to take booster doses. He said only 27-28 per cent of people have taken booster, which is mandated and guided to everyone. He also told people to use a mask in a crowded spaces, indoors or outdoors. This is all the more important for people with comorbidities or of higher age, he said.
Published on: Dec 21, 2022, 8:23 PM IST
In business today
For more details Click here
Comments
Post a Comment