Nine sub-variants of Omicron behind surge in cases in Delhi

After the steady fall in Covid cases, the Omicron variant of coronavirus and its sub-types are driving the numbers in Delhi, government sources said on Thursday.

Samples have shown the presence of BA.2.12.1 and eight other sub-types of the Omicron variant of coronavirus. A study of genome sequencing of samples taken contributed and confirmed the new findings.

The World Health organisation (WHO) in February had said that the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron is more transmissible than the BA.1 strain. However, there was no cause for alarm as it was no more severe than the original strain, it said.

Despite a spurt in Covid cases in Delhi, hospitalisation has so far been low accounting for less than three percent of the total active cases, according to government data.

As many as 1,009 new patients were reported on Wednesday, in Delhi, a 60 percent rise from the previous day and the highest since February 10. The case positivity rate was logged at 5.7%. While one fatality was reported on Wednesday, the active caseload in the city stood at 2,641.

Delhi accounted for more than 30 percent of the 2,067 new cases that India reported on Wednesday.

Following the Delhi government’s latest directives now the Punjab government has also advised people to wear face masks in crowded places amid a surge in coronavirus cases in some of the neighbouring states.