Omicron sub-lineages BA.2, BA.2.38 cause spike in cases: Sources

NEW DEHLI: India's Covid genome sequencing facility, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) on Friday has reviewed the genomic surveillance data, where they have found that Omicron sub-lineages majorly BA.2, BA.2.38 and in some parts of the country BA.4 and BA.5 have caused a spike in Covid cases.

But there is no new variant found as of now, sources told ANI.

According to the sources, BA.2 is 60 per cent and BA.2.38 is 33 per cent and has been found in genomic surveillance. But the percentage of BA.4 and BA.5 is still very less.

In various parts of the country where clusters have been reported like Mumbai, Trivandrum, Puducherry, Mizoram, North-east, Delhi - NCR like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Kerala most of the cases are of BA.2 and BA.2.38.

The BA.2 and BA.2.38 is running "neck to neck" and indicating higher transmissibility and dominating currently in most of the places.

Most of the cases are of mild infection that includes cold, cough, fever and body ache.

Amid rising Covid cases it has been discussed and recommended by the team members of INSACOG that people should continue to follow Covid appropriate behaviour and contact tracing should continue in the country, especially where clusters have been reported. India on Saturday has recorded a total number of 13,216 cases in the last 24 hours with a weekly positivity rate of 2.47 per cent.

This is the first time in 113 days that India has reported over 13,000 cases.