XBB.1.5 strain now dominant in Gujarat

The XBB.1.5 sub-variant of the Covid-19 virus, which now accounts for 90% of new cases in the US according to recent news reports, is now the dominant sub-variant found in genome sequencing in Gujarat.

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The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) sequenced the genomes of the past 50 confirmed Covid cases and found that 37 - or 74% of these samples - were of the XBB.1 branch. Of these, 20 were XBB.1.5, 14 of XBB.1 and three of XBB.1.9.

Most of these cases were recorded in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Kutch districts, the analysis showed.

It is notable that the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) had indicated the presence of this sub-variant in 11 states of India and said that cases were on the rise.

Even in Gujarat, XBB was the most prevalent sub-variant of Omicron in December.

However, at that time, XBB.2 accounted for 35% of the cases, XBB.5 for 13% and XBB.1 for only 10%.

The rise of the sub-variant coincides with the spike in Covid cases in the state.

On February 9, active cases had been at an all-time low at four. On Monday, active cases reached 81.

The spike started in the last week of February. The state also has a Covid patient on a ventilator after a long period of time.

Experts also said that while there is nearly 100% coverage for both doses of Covid vaccines in the adult population in the state, the period for which neutralizing antibodies circulate in the blood is about four to six months.

Thus, it's possible that those who already got infected earlier could get infected, albeit mildly. City hospitals also indicated that there are no hospitalizations related to Covid as of now.