A recent spike was observed in the fast-spreading variation XBB, which is a recombinant lineage between the Omicron sublineages BJ.1 and BA.2.75.
Digital Desk: India reported the country's first case of Omicron subvariant BQ.1 on Tuesday in Pune, Maharashtra. The BQ.1 is a descendant of BA.5, which is behind the 60% Covid cases in the US.
In addition, the state has reported novel Covid XBB, a new sub-variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has been found in Kerala and other regions of India.
A recent spike was observed in the fast-spreading variation XBB, which is a recombinant lineage between the Omicron sublineages BJ.1 and BA.2.75.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading immunologist in the US, recently expressed alarm regarding the BA.5 subvariant of the entrance omicron, also known as BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. The two subvariants, according to him, have risky "qualities or features that could circumvent some of the interventions we have."
Maharashtra has witnessed 17.7 rise in Covid cases over the week that ended on 16 October. The state reported 201 Covid-19 cases yesterday. In Maharashtra, the case fatality rate is 1.82%. There were 23 new cases in Pune.
The health department and specialists in Maharashtra have urged people not to disregard flu-like symptoms and to seek medical attention as soon as possible. They suggested following Covid Appropriate conduct in public settings and receiving vaccinations in accordance with the Government of India recommendations. People with comorbidities should take extra precautions while entering public spaces, according to department experts. Influenza-like illnesses should be as isolated from the public as feasible for those who are ill.
Since September, the BQ.1 Covid strain and its offspring, known as BQ.1.1, have increased by 10% in the United States.
The BQ.1 form of Covid-19 has already outpaced many rival strains in European countries from England to Germany, where the Covid wave has reemerged. Fauci added the new sub-variant had a "troublesome" doubling time.
BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. are currently the Omicron variant's fastest-growing subset in the US. The two sub-variants might surpass other Covid strains like BA.4.6, it seems. It accounts for 12.2% of infections at the moment.
The majority of BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 infections in the United States are concentrated in the New York and New Jersey regions.
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