XBB1.16 leading COVID case surge, no rise in hospitalisation, says health ministry

According to infectious disease experts, the XBB 1.16 subvariant is a highly transmissible form of COVID.

While active cases of the Covid-causing coronavirus continue to grow at a sustained pace, the union health ministry on April 3 said that hospitalisation continues to remain very low across the country.

“We need to remain alert but there is no need to worry. Currently XBB 1.16, the subvariant of Omicron circulating in the country, hasn’t led to an increase in hospitalisation,” a top official said.

The official added that the current surge could be attributed to the spread of the XBB 1.16 variant in the country, adding that scientists have isolated the strain.

“Scientists at the national institute of virology in Pune have isolated the strain of the variant and research is being done,” he added.

Pragya Yadav, senior scientist from NIV Pune, confirmed to Moneycontrol that different studies are being conducted by the institute to assess the virulence of the XBB 1.16 variant.

“We have received the strand. Studies to understand the pathogenicity and severity are underway,” Yadav said.

Increasing COVID numbers

India, which has seen a rise in detection of COVID cases in the last few weeks, today reported more than six percent positivity, according to health ministry data.

Data from the health ministry show that 3,641 new COVID cases and 11 deaths have been registered, with 20,219 active cases in all across the country.

XBB.1.16 is the latest sub-lineage of Omicron, and has taken over from XBB since February in India. XBB took over from BA.2.75 in October 2022.

“Considering the three Omicron versions, it is important to note that only XBB.1.16 caused a noticeable surge in cases across the country and elsewhere. This means it is a more successful version than its ancestors,” Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the IMA's National Task Force, told Moneycontrol.

Jayadevan said the subvariant has clearly changed the COVID landscape in India.

“There is an early rise in hospitalisation, which is usually proportional to the large number of cases in the community. The correct thing is to act early and precisely, when cases are slowly going up, rather than to take massive and often futile remedial efforts once hospitals are overwhelmed,” he added.

XBB 1.16 severity being studied

According to infectious disease experts, the XBB 1.16 subvariant is a highly transmissible form of COVID. The mutation, which was first detected in January in two positive samples, is now being detected in over 60 percent of positive samples in India.

Officials at the National Centre for Disease Control said that data on the severity of XBB1.16 is currently being studied.

“In Maharashtra, the XBB 1.16 subvariant is being detected in 93 percent of COVID samples from Pune. The highly transmissible subvariant was also found in over 75 percent of COVID samples from Nagpur,” he added.

The official added that over 60 percent of samples from Gujarat, too, had the XBB1.16 subvariant.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that the new XBB 1.16 variant is “one to watch”.

The WHO’s COVID-19 technical lead Maria Van Kerkhove has said that the variant needs close monitoring.