India reports first cases of BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Covid-19

The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) on Sunday confirmed the first case of BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Covid-19 in India. 

Advertisment

1/38

2/38

3/38

4/38

5/38

6/38

7/38

8/38

9/38

10/38

11/38

12/38

13/38

14/38

15/38

16/38

17/38

18/38

19/38

20/38

21/38

22/38

23/38

24/38

25/38

26/38

27/38

28/38

29/38

30/38

31/38

32/38

33/38

34/38

35/38

36/38

37/38

38/38

All the patients showed only mild clinical symptoms, the INSACOG said in a statement.

It said a 19-year-old woman in Tamil Nadu was found infected with the BA.4 variant. 

She has no travel history. Before this, a South African traveller was also reported positive for the BA.4 variant on his arrival at Hyderabad airport.

The BA.5 variant was detected in an 80-year-old man in Telangana. He, too, has no travel history.

The Consortium said contact tracing of the three patients is being undertaken as a precautionary measure.

The BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Covid-19 was first reported in South Africa earlier this year. 

These variants have not been associated with disease severity or increased hospitalisation, the INSACOG said.