Maharashtra: Two more cases of BA.5 Omicron sub-variant detected

Mumbai: Maharashtra has reported two more cases of the BA.5 variant of coronavirus, the state health department said. 

Both the patients, found in Thane city, had been vaccinated.

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They recovered from the latest infection in home isolation, the department added in a press release.

One of them was a 25-year-old woman and the other a 32-year-old man.

They were found to have contracted coronavirus infection on May 28 and 30, respectively.

According to the B.J. Medical College, Pune, in the Whole Genome Sequencing of recent samples in the state, BA.2 was the most prominent variant followed by BA.2.38, the health department said.

Due to the global increase in coronavirus cases caused by the BA.5 subvariant, the World Health Organization (WHO) currently classifies it as a "variant of concern." 

The BA.5 Omicron variant had already raised concerns in South Africa in early May, but the subsequent wave was relatively small and is currently subsiding. 

BA.5 Omicron variant infections are much milder as compared with the other COVID-19 strains. Omicron stands out from past Covid-19 variants because it has so many changes, close to 50 mutations compared to the original SARS-CoV-2 virus.Omicron also appears to replicate much faster in the upper airways, making it easier to breathe out virus particles and spread them to others.

As Covid-19 cases rise, the Maharashtra health department has focused on stepping up genome surveillance and vaccination. Dr Nitin Ambadekar, who took additional charge as state director of health (Pune), told The Indian Express that instructions have been given to step up genome sequencing of samples that test positive for both antigen and RT-PCR tests. 

The centre has pointed out that the sewage sampling needs to be strengthen in Mumbai and Pune to keep a check on signs of surge in cases. 

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