New Covid Variants Stir Caution in India: NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 Detected Amid Rising Cases

New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): With reports of rising SARS-CoV-2 cases in India, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has identified the presence of two variants: NB.1.8.1 and LF.7, which are offshoots of the JN.1 Covid variant. INSACOG, a group of 64 labs dedicated to tracking genomic changes in the Covid virus, reported one case of NB.1.8.1 and four cases of LF.7.

NB.1.8.1 was first spotted in Tamil Nadu back in April, while the LF.7 cases were found in Gujarat in May. Both variants are currently classified as Variants Under Monitoring (VUM) by the World Health Organization (WHO). This classification indicates that these variants may need closer scrutiny and attention from public health officials. Notably, these variants are also contributing to the rise in Covid cases in China and other regions across Asia.

As of May 19, data from the Ministry of Health shows that India has had 257 active Covid cases. JN.1 is the common variant in circulation in India -- comprising 53 per cent of samples tested. It is followed by BA.2 (26 per cent) and other Omicron sublineages (20 per cent). According to WHO's preliminary risk assessment, NB.1.8.1 poses a low public health risk worldwide. Yet its spike protein mutations, such as A435S, V445H, and T478I, suggest increased transmissibility and immune evasion compared to other variants.

Meanwhile, several states and cities in the country have reported a surge in cases. Maharashtra has reported 106 Covid cases, with Mumbai logging 95 so far in May. Haryana's Gurugram reported three cases, while Faridabad reported one. Tamil Nadu has also seen a recent increase, with 12 new cases reported in Puducherry. Karnataka has confirmed 16 active Covid cases, according to state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. In Gujarat, seven cases were reported in a single day in Ahmedabad. The state currently has 15 active Covid cases.

Delhi recorded 23 new cases, Andhra Pradesh reported four in the last 24 hours, Telangana confirmed one, and a nine-month-old in Bengaluru tested positive amid a gradual rise over the past 20 days. Kerala reported 273 cases in May alone. However, the health ministry has assured that the country has a robust system for surveillance of respiratory viral illnesses, including Covid also exists in the country through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and ICMR.