India's 1st case of Omicron subvariant BQ.1 reported from Pune
India's first case of the Omicron subvariant BQ.1 of coronavirus—considered to be dangerous—was reported from Pune, Maharashtra, on Monday during the genome sequencing of a patient's sample. This comes as Maharashtra witnesses a surge in COVID-19 cases, with infections shooting up by 17.7% in the week that ended Sunday. Health officials have cautioned people to take precautions and follow COVID-19-appropriate behavior, especially high-risk patients.
Why does this story matter?
- Omicron was first detected in November 2021 and soon spread worldwide, replacing the Delta variant as the dominant strain.
- One of Omicron's sublineages, BA.2, later became dominant in Denmark and the UK. It was also detected in India, China, and Pakistan.
- Now, newer Omicron sublineages like BQ.1, BQ.1.1, and XBB have become a cause of concern in several countries, especially the US and Singapore.
10% of current cases in US caused by BQ.1, BQ.1.1
BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 are the sublineages of the BA.5 Omicron subvariant; both have been termed dangerous as they are capable of evading all currently available interventions against COVID-19. These strains are also responsible for over 10% of the total active cases in the US. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to US President Joe Biden, said these variants have a "pretty troublesome doubling time."
The XBB.1 subvariant is wreaking havoc in Singapore
The current uncertainty of XBB.1’s growth rate makes it an open race.
— Moritz Gerstung (@MoritzGerstung) October 18, 2022
- XBB.1 dominance in Asia seems given.
- BQ.1.1 is widespread in Europe and North America, so it is likely that it will keep its higher share.
- The rest of the world could see either outcome I think. pic.twitter.com/K6oRFBL2K5
Case could rise further in festive season
Meanwhile, Maharashtra reported 201 COVID-19 cases on Monday, including 23 from Pune. State surveillance officer Pradeep Awate said the spike in cases was restricted to Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad. He added people shouldn't ignore flu-like symptoms as infections could rise further during the festive season. Awate urged people to avoid public places, get vaccinated, and seek medical help if required, especially people with comorbidities.
BF.7, BQ.1, and BQ.1.1 raging in the US
Key variants are surging across the US, especially in New York -- BF.7 BQ.1 BQ.1.1. Compared to the still-dominant #SARSCoV2 BA.5 strain, these three appear far more contagious, and immune evasive. A new #COVID19 wave is building, rapidly -- where will it be on Election Day? https://t.co/nBPmI717uz pic.twitter.com/cjOSchPhnn
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) October 17, 2022
BF.7 reported from Gujarat few days ago
Recently, India's first case of BF.7 subvariant was reported from Gujarat. Health experts have cautioned the public to follow necessary precautions as BF.7 is one of the two Omicron sublineages—the other being BA.5.1.7—behind China's recent COVID-19 surge. Earlier in July, the BA.2.75 subvariant was detected in India amid a global resurgence in the cases. Cases of BA.4 and BA.5 were also reported in India.
