New Omicron sub-variant found in India, says WHO

Geneva (Switzerland), July 7: A new sub-variant BA.2.75 of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected in several countries including India, informed World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The WHO Director-General said that the world body was following the development. "On Covid-19, globally reported cases have increased nearly 30 percent over the past two weeks. Four out of six of the WHO sub-regions saw cases increase in the last week," Ghebreyesus in a press briefing on Wednesday. "In Europe and America, BA.4 and BA.5 are driving waves. In countries like India a new sub-lineage of BA.2.75 has also been detected, which we're following," the WHO chief added. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India reported 16,159 new Covid cases in the last 24 hours on Wednesday. As per the Health Ministry, 15,394 Covid-19 patients recovered over the period, bringing the total number of recoveries in the country since the start of the pandemic to 4,29,07,327. The current recovery rate is 98.53 percent.

During Wednesday's briefing, WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan stated that a sub-variant known as the BA.2.75 had emerged. "First reported from India and then from about 10 other countries," she added.

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"So we'll have to wait and see," she added, saying that the world health body is tracking it and its Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) is constantly reviewing the data from across the world. According to WHO Incident Manager Covid-19 - Abdi Mahamud, now is not the time to declare the pandemic over. "We're still in the midst of the pandemic and the virus has a lot of force left. So whether it is the BA.4 or BA.5 or BA.2.75, the virus will continue. It does what it does good," he remarked.

He further added that people and communities must continue to wear masks, avoid crowds and ensure that the most vulnerable and high-risk population is protected.

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