BHUBANESWAR: Although the ICMR has dismissed concerns over detection of the new XE variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Mumbai, the Odisha government has asked districts to remain alert over the possible emergence of new variants and cluster of cases.
Director of Health Services Dr Bijay Mohapatra said the first case of the XE variant had come at a time when the Covid cases were on the wane in the country. “But there is nothing to panic as it was an old case and no transmission has been noticed thereafter,” he said.
However, as part of the containment measures, Dr Mohapatra said, the districts have been alerted about the possible situations in the coming months. “CDMOs have been instructed to keep a close watch on any development of clusters and continue testing of people with symptoms. They have been suggested not to ignore cases assuming them of being common cold. All symptomatic cases need to be RT-PCR tested and the positive samples sent for genome sequencing,” he said.
The XE variant is a mutation of the BA.1 and BA.2 sub-lineages of Omicron, referred to as a ‘recombinant’. The subvariant is said to have higher transmissibility of around 10 per cent over BA.2. Meanwhile, the State has been witnessing a rise in new cases in the last three days. The number of new infections rose five-fold during the period from five on April 4 to 28 in the last 24 hours.
Only four districts had reported cases three days back and it has now spread to 11 districts. The maximum seven cases were recorded in Khurda, four in Sambalpur, three in Mayurbhanj and two each in Sundargarh, Balangir, Cuttack and Kendrapara. No death has been reported since April 1.Director of Institute of Life Sciences Dr Ajay Parida said the State government has been asked to send all positive samples for sequencing.