Experts blame spike in India’s COVID-19 cases on XBB.1.16 variant

The recent rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in India may be blamed on the XBB.1.16 variant, with 76 samples being found so far, according to Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) data.

The variant has been found across Karnataka (30), Maharashtra (29), Puducherry (7), Delhi (5), Telangana (2), Gujarat (1), Himachal Pradesh (1), and Odisha (1), INSACOG data has showed.

No need to panic

The XBB.1.16 variant was first found in January, when two samples tested positive for it, while 59 samples were found in February. In March, till now, 15 samples of the XBB.1.16 variant have been found, the INSACOG said. Some experts have attributed the recent rise in COVID-19 cases to this variant.

Also read: COVID-19: India’s daily tally crosses 800 after over 4 months, 4 deaths reported

Former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, who led the national COVID task force, said the rise in infections seems to be driven by the XBB.1.16 variant, while the influenza cases are because of H3N2.

“For both, following COVID-appropriate behaviour can help contain the spread of infection. Also, most of the cases are not severe; so, there is no need to panic as of now,” said the chairman, Institute of Internal Medicine, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Director-Medical Education at Medanta and former AIIMS director.

New variant in 12 countries

Vipin M Vashishtha, former convener of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and consultant paediatrician at the Mangla Hospital and Research Centre, Bijnor, said the new XBB.1.16 variant has now been detected in at least 12 countries, with the highest number of cases in India followed by the US, Brunei, Singapore, and the UK.

In India, there has been a 281% increase in cases and 17% increase in deaths over the past 14 days, he tweeted.

All eyes should be on India! If XBB.1.16 aka #Arcturus could succeed to wade through the ‘sturdy’ population immunity of Indians that successfully resisted the onslaught of variants like BA.2.75, BA.5, BQs, XBB.1.5, then whole world must be seriously worried!! pic.twitter.com/PZYuM7hD7Q

— Vipin M. Vashishtha (@vipintukur) March 18, 2023

Also read: COVID-19 origins linked to raccoon dogs at China’s Wuhan market: Study

“All eyes should be on India! If XBB.1.16 aka #Arcturus could succeed to wade through the sturdy population immunity of Indians that successfully resisted the onslaught of variants like BA.2.75, BA.5, BQs, XBB.1.5, then whole world must be seriously worried!!” he wrote in another tweet.

India’s single-day tally of COVID-19 cases crossed 800 after 126 days on Saturday, while the number of active cases climbed to 5,389.

(With agency inputs)