India’s first case of Omicron subvariant BA.4 detected in Hyderabad

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The first case of BA.4 subvariant of Omicron has been detected in India in Hyderabad through India’s COVID-19 genomic surveillance programme.

This sub-variant, along with BA.5, another subvariant of Omicron, has been causing a major wave of fresh coronavirus infections in South Africa and has now been reported in several other countries including the US and the UK.

Scientists associated with the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) said that from India, details of a BA.4 subvariant were entered on GISAID, a global science initiative that provides open access to genomic data of influenza viruses and the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 9.

It is possible, said a scientist with the Indian Council for Medical Research, that random cases of BA.4 may have also been detected in other cities in the country over the last few days.

This strain of the SARS CoV 2 virus, like BA.2 subvariant, has been found capable of immune evasion from past infection and vaccination.

Scientists; however, say that given the extensive immunity in the Indian population due to the Omicron wave that hit India in January this year, a new COVID-19 surge-if any-is most likely to stay at low levels.

“Over the last 6-7 months, the circulation of B.2.12.1 has also been reported in India on a high scale but it only caused a localised surge in a few places at very low levels,” said an official attached to the National Centre for Disease Control under the Union health ministry which is heading the INSACOG project.

“We expect a similar kind of low surge in the coming days but is highly unlikely that there will be any dramatic rise in hospitalisation due to severe COVID-19 sickness,” the official added.