As Covid-19 cases witness a rise in some parts of India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has reassured the public that the current infections are mild and not a cause for concern.
ICMR Director General Dr Rajiv Behl said that while there has been an uptick in cases, initially in the southern states, followed by the west, and now in parts of northern India, the infections are being closely monitored. “The severity of cases remains low, and there is no need for panic at this stage. We have been closely monitoring the situation. We should be vigilant currently, but there is no cause to worry,” he said.
India has reported 1010 active COVID-19 cases. New Covid-19 subvariants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 have been detected in parts of the country.
Dr Behl also added that the genome sequencing of samples in the west and south has shown that the new variants are not severe and are Omicron sub-variants. These are LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB. 1.8.1.
“Samples from other places are being sequenced, and we will know in a day or two if there are more variants,” Dr Bhel said, adding that ICMR’s nationwide respiratory virus sentinel surveillance network is keeping a watch on emerging infections and pathogens.
Dr Bhel also added that Covid case increases are assessed based on three factors. “The first is transmissibility — how quickly cases are increasing. Earlier, we saw cases doubling every two days, but currently, the rise is much slower. The second factor is whether new variants are able to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccinations. While variants typically show some immune escape, there is no cause for concern at this time,” he said.
The third aspect is the proportion of severe cases among all infections. “We assess if severe disease is occurring, especially in individuals without other health conditions. So far, the severity remains low,” Dr Behl stated. “Though the situation requires vigilance and preparedness, there is no immediate reason for alarm.”
