Covid variant XBB.1.16 mutating further, 113 cases so far recorded in India

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, April 08, 2023: The newly emerged recombinant coronavirus variant XBB.1.16 is mutating further and its offshoot subtype, XBB.1.16.1, has been detected in India. So far, 113 cases of this subtype have been recorded across the country with most cases concentrated in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

 

XBB is an Omicron sublineage and it is the most prevalent one among the Omicron variants. Four hundred new sub-variants of Omicron have been identified in India in the last 15 months. Out of these, 90 per cent of all variants are XBB.

The INSACOG portal has not listed XXB.1.16.1 yet.

So far, there is no evidence to suggest that the subtype carries more disease severity.

The medical body said it is closely tracking all variants of Omicron.

The latest INSACOG bulletin said the XBB.1.16 variant accounts for 38.2 per cent of all the Covid infections in India till date.

The symptoms of XBB.1.16 are the same as that of the parent Omicron strain-fever, cough, cold, runny nose, headache, body ache, sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

Most of these patients are managed at home.

Courtesy: India Today