With 2 cases of the XE COVID variant being reported from India, the hybrid of the Omicron variant is being closely watched. Sources said that INSACOG is monitoring the XE, so there is no need to panic now.
“Till this sequence is not verified after isolating the virus, we will not be able to comment on it. We will have to wait to know whether it is isolated or not,” the sources said. ANI,
All that you need to know:
Earlier this morning, Gujarat Health Ministry confirmed that one case of XE variant has been detected in the state. Manoj Agarwal, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Gujarat said, “We are in touch with the Maharashtra and Gujarat governments. The Biotechnology Research Center found the mutation in the sample hence the need for genome sequencing after which the sample was sent to Kolkata where they have confirmed the sample as XE variant.”
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said the first case of XE, a more transmissible COVID-19 variant, was detected in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Dr. Gagandeep Kang, Professor, Christian Medical College in Vellore, said, the new XE variant of COVID-19 is not a cause for concern as it caused Omicron (B.A. B.A.2). “We were worried about BA.2 but it did not cause more serious illness than BA.1. XE does not cause more severe disease than BA.1 or BA.2.”
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that the XE variant is 10% more transmissible than the BA.2 variant.
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