The INSACOG’s readings are based in genome sequencing analysis of Covid samples collected from across the country.
New Delhi: India’s Covid-19 genomic sequencing consortium INSACOG late on Wednesday night said that a “very few recombinant variants have been discovered in India”. The body’s statement was published in its bulletin which came out after a gap of three months.
The bulletin said, “Based on genome sequencing analysis, very few recombinant variants have been discovered in India. So far, none showed either increased transmission (locally or otherwise) or associated with severe disease or hospitalization. Incidences of suspected recombinants and the possible public health relevance are being closely monitored.” The INSACOG has so far sequenced 2.4 lakh samples from across the country.
The bulletin comes in the backdrop of a new worry over rising number of Covid-19 cases in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Wednesday address to the chief ministers of all the states. While the numbers are yet to assume great proportions, the XE variant has caused a lot of concern in the country.
The XE variant of Covid is considered to be 22% to 27% more transmissible than the fast-spreading BA2 variant.
In the perspective of a global scenario, INSACOG said, “The number of new COVID-19 cases has decreased for a second consecutive week, with a 16% decline during the week. The number of new deaths also decreased as compared to the previous week.”
“Two recombinant variants XD and XE are being closely monitored worldwide. XD, which has an Omicron S gene incorporated into a Delta genome, is found primarily in France. XE is a BA.1/BA.2 recombinant, with the majority of the genome including the S gene belonging to BA.2. XE shows slightly higher transmission rate. XE also shows a higher growth rate above that of BA.2; however, this finding requires further confirmation,” the bulletin further said.
