Sikar man first in Rajasthan to test positive for XBB.1.5 variant

JAIPUR: The first case of Covid Omicron's XBB.1.5 variant has been detected in the state. It is one of the variants circulating in the US fuelling a surge in cases, according to reports. The case was reported from Sikar, the health department confirmed on Tuesday. The department is collecting more details of the patient including his travel history.
A senior health department official said, "A man was tested positive recently. His sample was sent for genome sequencing. We received the result and it has been found in genome sequencing that he was infected with XBB.1.5 variant." The official said they are alert and taking necessary measures to keep a close eye. The health department had recently issued orders for conducting genome sequencing of all the cases that tested positive to rule out infections due to new variants.
XBB is a recombinant of Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineages. XBB.15 belongs to XBB. According to WHO, "Whether the increased immune escape of XBB is sufficient to drive new infection waves appears to depend on the regional immune landscape as affected by the size and timing of previous Omicron waves, as well as the Covid vaccination coverage."
In WHO's Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution (TAG-VE) held on October 24, 2022, it had mentioned that the organisations will continue to closely monitor the XBB and BQ.1 lineages as part of Omicron and requests countries to continue to be vigilant, to monitor and report sequences, as well as to conduct independent and comparative analyses of the different Omicron sublineages.