Covid-19’s XBB.1.5 variant cases rise to 26 in India

INSACOG The number of cases of covid-19’s XBB.1.5 variant, responsible for the rise in cases in the US, has gone up to 26 in India, according to INSACOG data on Monday. The cases of XBB.1.5 variant have been found across 11 states and Union territories till now, including Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) said. The XBB.1.5 strain is a relative of the Omicron XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants. Combined, XBB and XBB.1.5 make up 44 per cent of cases in the US. The INSACOG data also showed that 14 cases of BF.7 strain which is apparently driving China’s covid-19 wave have been found in India. There are four cases of Omicron sub-variant BF.7 reported in West Bengal, three in Maharashtra, two each in Haryana and Gujarat and one each in Odisha, Delhi and Karnataka. INSACOG reports genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across the country through sequencing of samples from sentinel sites and international passengers arriving in India.