XE, a sub-variant of Omicron, which caused the third wave of Covid-19 . The variant discovery sparked concern about the possibility of a fresh wave of infections in India, where Covid-19 cases are in currently declining stage.
A fresh wave in the near future, if it comes, would most probably be caused by a new variant that isn’t very small in characteristics to the Omicron variant. And the XE variant might not be that risky, considering what’s presently spreading about it.
Table of Contents
Studies made on XE variant
It has been noticed is that XE could be about 10 per cent more transmittable than the dominant BA.2 variant. But that’s a very small advantage that XE has, and indeed this has not been verified as of now.
The clinical declaration of the XE variant has not been found to be any different from BA.1 or BA.2. It has, so far, not been found to be get a more severe form of the complaint compared to other Omicron kinds. As similar, the XE variant isn’t being considered different from Omicron.
“XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and complaint characteristics, including inflexibility, may be reported,” the WHO said.
Possibility of XE-variant enter into India?
It would not be surprising if the XE variant is indeed found in India or in some other case at a after stage. Trip restrictions have been substantially done down with, and transnational air trip is back to nearly where it was in the pre-pandemic period.
Also, the possibility of XE, or any other recombinant variety of Omicron, developing within the Indian population can not be ruled out. It’s also possible that the XE variant is formerly circulating in the Indian population, but is yet to be detected.
Recent XE-variant found in India
A woman who arrived from South Africa in February was plant to have this Omicron sub-variant, officers of the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, adding that she was asymptomatic and recovered from the infection.
Besides, a case of the Kappa variant of coronavirus was also detected during a zero check, a BMC functionary said, adding the results came in genome sequencing of 376 samples, the 11th batch of testing in the original genome sequencing lab.
The woman, who’s a costume developer, was a member of a film firing crew. She has tested negative for COVID-19, but on March 2, she tested positive during routine testing. She had been quarantined in a hostel tenderfoot during this period.
Challenges to be faced
The fact is that a fresh wave of infections in India can no way be ruled out, considering that the contagion has not been excluded, and is also witnessing mutations.
This variant is substantially less because a veritably large proportion of the Indian population, an estimated 40 to 50 per cent, has veritably lately been infected by the Omicron variant. The impunity gained from that infection is likely to be still effective. Reinfection from the same variant isn’t unknown, but not veritably common moreover.
