Tamil Nadu detects Omicron BA.4 sub-variant, second case in country: Report
PremiumThe Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has confirmed that the first case of BA.4 subvariant was detected in Hyderabad
A case of the BA.4 sub-variant of Omicron was detected in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, news agency ANI reported, quoting state health minister Ma Subramanian.
“One case of BA.4, a sub-variant of Omicron, has been recorded in Chengalpattu district near Chennai," Subramanian reportedly said.
"The family has two Covid-19 positive cases. The mother and her daughter got tested positive for the virus on 4 May. They don't have any travel history. Both are vaccinated with two doses. Their contact has been traced and tested. Both the infected individuals are keeping fine at the moment," he added.
The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has confirmed that the first case of BA.4 sub-variant was detected in Hyderabad.
"After detecting the first case of BA.4, the contact tracing has already been started of those who came in contact with a person who travelled to Hyderabad from South Africa. He was asymptomatic and the sample was collected on 9 May," the news agency quoted a source as saying.
The Union health ministry and INSACOG called a meeting on Friday to firm up a surveillance strategy. Last week, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) had asked countries to be vigilant about the BA.4 and BA.5 variants.
According to the World Health Organization, contact tracing is key to stop further transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Though ECDC said BA.4 and BA.5 are variants of concern, experts said that as of now it is difficult to predict public health concerns.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has also asked states and Union Territories to accelerate vaccination, in view of a steady fall in vaccination numbers in some states.
Both the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of Omicron have been associated with the fifth Covid wave in South Africa. Recently, the US and Europe had also reported the variants.