The first case of the more dangerous and infectious sub-variant XE (Omicron XE variant) than the Omicron variant of the corona virus has been reported in Mumbai. Apart from this, one case of Kappa variant has also been confirmed, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official told news agency ANI on Wednesday. However, according to media reports, the Union Health Ministry has rejected the BMC’s claims.
Maharashtra | Results of 11th test under the Covid virus genetic formula determination – 228 or 99.13% (230 samples) patients detected with Omicron. One patient affected by ‘XE’ variant and another is affected by the ‘Kapa’ variant of COVID19: Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2022
The BMC official said that these cases have been revealed in the sample investigation. Of the 230 samples sent from Mumbai, 228 were from Omicron, one from Kapa and one from XE variant. However, the official said that the condition of the patient infected with the new variant is not critical.
The concern of the BMC and the people of Mumbai has increased with the first case of the new variant coming to the fore. It is a big challenge for BMC to save the people of the city from this new variant.
XE is 10 times more dangerous than BA.2
The official said that it appears that the XE mutant is 10 times more infectious than the Omicron sub-variant BA.2. So far, BA.2 has been considered the most infectious of all the variants of COVID-19.
The changes to the Omicron’s variants, the BA.1 and BA.2, make it the EX variant. According to preliminary research, the rate of spread of the XE variant is 9.8 percent higher than that of the BA.2. It is also difficult to identify during the investigation, hence it is called stealth variant.
WHO had issued a warning
Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning against it. The WHO had said that this new variant created after the change may be more infectious than all the earlier variants. It is said that this variant originated from the United Kingdom (UK).