HomeNewsIndiaOmicron's XBB most prevalent sub-lineage circulating all over India: INSACOG bulletin

Omicron's XBB most prevalent sub-lineage circulating all over India: INSACOG bulletin

According to the bulletin, BA.2.75 and BA.2.10 were also circulating but in lesser extent.

January 02, 2023 / 23:02 IST
Omicron | Representative image

Omicron | Representative image

COVID-19 variant Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant in India with 'XBB' being the most prevalent sub-lineage circulating all over the country, the INSACOG said in its bulletin.

The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) bulletin was released on Monday.

According to the bulletin, BA.2.75 and BA.2.10 were also circulating but in lesser extent.

"Especially, in north-east India, BA.2.75 is the prevalent sub-lineage. However, any increase in disease severity or hospitalisation has not been observed over this period," it said.

The INSACOG said Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant in India. XBB is the most prevalent sub-lineage (63.2 percent) circulating all over India.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Frequently Asked Questions

View more
How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

How many types of vaccines are there?

There are broadly four types of vaccine — one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine.

What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind?

Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time.

View more
Show

On the bulletin of December 5 which was also released on Monday, the INSACOG said overall the infection rate is below 500 per day.

"In the northern part of India, XBB was prevalent, whereas in the eastern part, BA.2.75 was the prevalent sub-lineage. BA.2.10 and other Omicron sub-lineage frequency was lower last week. However, any increase in disease severity or hospitalisation has not been observed over this period," it said.

In its bulletin from November 28, the INSACOG said Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant in India.

"BA.2.75 at 46.5 percent and XBB and its sub-lineages at 35.8 percent continue to be the most commonly circulating Omicron sub-lineage. INSACOG is closely monitoring the situation with respect to XBB and XBB.1," it said.

The INSACOG reports genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across the country through sequencing of samples from sentinel sites and international passengers arriving in India.  Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in some countries, India has stepped up surveillance.

 

PTI
first published: Jan 2, 2023 11:02 pm

Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347