Covid's XBB.1.5 variant cases rise to seven in India: INSACOG figures

The number of COVID-19's XBB.1.5 variant, responsible for the rise in cases in the US, rose to seven in India as new cases of the variant were found in Chhattisgarh and Telangana, according to INSACOG figures on Thursday.

Of the seven cases, three were found in Gujarat and one each in Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) said.

The XBB.1.5 strain is a relative of the Omicron XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants. Combined, XBB and XBB.1.5 make up 44 per cent of cases in the US.

The INSACOG data also showed that seven cases of BF.7 strain which is apparently driving China's COVID-19 wave have been found.

There are four cases of Omicron sub-variant BF.7 reported in West Bengal, two in Gujarat and one in Odisha.

INSACOG reports genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across the country through sequencing of samples from sentinel sites and international passengers arriving in India.