Premium| Listen to this article |
The BA.2.12 sub-variant of Omicron has been detected in a majority of the samples sequenced from the national capital in the first fortnight of April and it could be behind the recent spike in cases of coronavirus across Delhi.
However, an Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) source has claimed that Omicron variant derivative BA.2.12.1 has also been found in a few samples in the city, which is said to be contributing to the recent rise in cases in the US, according to a PTI report.
But officials have not confirmed that it indeed was found in some samples in Delhi.
An official source told PTI, "New sub-variants BA.2.12 (52 per cent samples) and BA.2.10 (11 per cent samples) are showing high transmission and have been found in over 60 per cent of the total samples from Delhi sequenced recently."
"The BA.2.12 variant appears to have a growth advantage of about 30% to 90% per week over BA.2 (Omicron)," the source added.
More than 300 samples have been genome sequenced in Delhi in the first fortnight.
The official said the same sub-variants more or less have been found in samples sequenced in neighbouring districts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Explaining the spike in Delhi, a senior scientist said Omicron's reproductive number is 10 which has the highest transmissable level so its derivatives will also have same transmissability and will spread in absence of hand hygiene, social distancing and masks.
Officials said that top five states in terms of new infections reported are – Delhi (1009), Haryana (3103), Uttar Pradesh (1684), Maharashtra (1625) and Mizoram 103.
Meanwhile, Delhi logged 1,009 fresh Covid cases on Wednesday, a 60 per cent jump from a day ago, with the city government making the wearing of masks in public places mandatory again and announcing a ₹500 fine on violators.
This was the maximum number of cases recorded in Delhi since February 10 when 1,104 infections were reported.
A total of 17,701 tests were conducted a day ago and 5.7 per cent of them were positive. One person died due to the infection in a day, the latest health bulletin said.