Corona / XE spreads 15 percent faster, Insacog said - the genetic structure of the new form does not match the XE variant

According to the INSACOG formed for Genome Sequencing, the new form of the new corona found in Mumbai does not look like XE. Sources associated with Insacag say that when the genetic structure of the sample found in Mumbai was matched with the XE variant, there was no similarity in it. In such a situation, the identity of XE cannot be given to the strain found in Mumbai.

According to the Union Health Ministry, a case similar to the XE variant was found in the genome sequencing of samples collected from Mumbai in March, but during the subsequent investigation, it has not been found to be like the XE variant. After receiving the report of the Government of Maharashtra, the Union Health Ministry also discussed it with the scientists.

It is being told that as a precaution, surveillance can be increased again at international airports across the country including Mumbai. According to a ministry official, the Xe strain has about 10 to 15 per cent higher spread ability than both the variants of Omicron. However, not much information is yet known about its effect in terms of public health. Nor is it known what effect it can see in those who are vaccinated?

What is the new Omicron XE strain

According to the ministry, the new XE strain of Corona is recombinant from BA.1 and BA.2 derived from the Omicron variant. This Xe strain spreads 10 percent faster than BA.2 but 40 percent faster than BA.1. When Omicron started receiving cases in India in December last year, the BA.1 variant was the highest among patients, but in January this year, more BA.2 variants were available. The XE variant was first found in the UK in January this year but since then it has been found in Thailand, New Zealand, South Africa.

First case of Corona XE in the country, Insacog denies

The first case of XE, a deadly form of corona virus in the country, was found in Mumbai on Wednesday. It is linked to Omicron's BA.2 sub-variant. After about four months, for the first time in the country, a new form of corona has emerged. However, the INSCOG formed for genome sequencing says that this variant does not look like XE. Sources associated with Insacog say that when the samples found in Mumbai matched the genetic structure of XE, there was no similarity in it.

A patient of Kappa in Mumbai

A senior scientist of the All India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that the two strains that have come up in Mumbai also contain Kappa. The kappa variant was first detected in the year 2020 but it is still visible in sporadic patients. Whereas other alpha, gamma, beta variants of corona are no longer visible in patients. Delta, Omicron, other Delta linked strains are still present in the country.

Scientists also believed that the booster dose of indigenous vaccine is effective

In the midst of discussions about the third or booster dose of the vaccine to avoid corona, for the first time, scientists have confirmed that India's first indigenous vaccine is also effective as a booster dose. Scientists from the New Delhi-based Indian Council of Medical Research and Pune-based National Institute of Virology, after examining samples collected from three different groups of people, have concluded that a booster or precautionary dose of Covaxin is effective in reducing the risk of infection. .

It has been found in the study that there is still more risk of corona in the country than Omicron from the delta variant. This variant rapidly reduces the level of antibodies in people. The highest 12-fold antibody drop was recorded in the delta group among the three groups associated with Beta, Delta and Omicron. Recently, NIV Director Dr. Priya Abraham, considering the booster dose as necessary, appealed to the people to take the third dose as soon as possible.

Infection 'severe' in 30 districts of the country, 14 districts of Kerala alone included

Corona infection is seen in serious condition in 30 districts of the country. These include 14 districts of Kerala. The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday prepared a district-wise report on the situation from March 30 to April 5, in which 23 out of 30 districts got a weekly rate of more than 10 percent. These districts are in Kerala, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Sikkim.