New COVID-19 Variant XE Emerges in Mumbai: First Case Reported
In a concerning development, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has confirmed India’s first case of the COVID-19 variant XE in Mumbai. Additionally, a single case of the Kappa variant has been identified. The infected individuals have not exhibited severe symptoms thus far, but the emergence of XE raises questions about its potential impact.
Debate Over XE Variant’s Transmissibility: WHO’s Assessment vs. Union Home Ministry’s Stance
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concerns that the XE variant may be more transmissible than any previous strain of COVID-19. However, officials from the union home ministry have challenged this assertion. They argue that the available evidence does not conclusively support the existence of an XE variant.
According to an official statement, “FASTQ files in respect of the sample, which is being said to be XE variant, were analysed in detail by genomic experts of INSACOG who have inferred that genomic constitution of this variant does not correlate with genomic picture of XE variant.”
Patient Profile: First XE Variant Case in India
The individual in Mumbai who tested positive for the XE variant is a 50-year-old costume designer who recently returned from South Africa. The positive diagnosis was confirmed on March 2, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The XE variant initially surfaced in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the year. The UK’s health agency reported the first detection of XE on January 19, with 637 cases of the new variant identified in the country to date.
XE is categorized as a “recombinant” strain resulting from a mutation of the BA’1 and BA.2 Omicron strains. Recombinant mutations occur when a patient is infected with multiple COVID variants, causing a mixing of genetic material during replication, ultimately leading to the emergence of a new mutation, as outlined in a paper published in the British Medical Journal by UK experts.
The global health body has noted, “Early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of 10 percent as compared to BA.2, however, this finding requires further confirmation.”
Out of the 230 patients in Mumbai whose samples underwent genome sequencing, 228 were positive for Omicron, one for Kappa, and one for XE. While 21 of the patients required hospitalization, none of them needed oxygen or intensive care. Notably, 12 of the hospitalized individuals were unvaccinated, and nine had received both vaccine doses.
Also Read: British PM Boris Johnson’s Visit And The Trade Investment Deals Announced, Includes 6.9 Million Pounds Indo-UK Training Program For Healthcare Workers