Tag: New Covid Variant

The strain is also known as the 'IHU' variant because it was first identified by academics at the IHU Mediterranee Infection institute in Marseille, France

"It's not clear in India, where mainly people have had two doses plus an infection, whether this will be adequate. There will be certain people who are vulnerable who get sick and do need ventilation, especially the unvaccinated. That's why caution is needed and focus on infection transmission interruption and vaccination are so important."

Meanwhile, WHO on Tuesday also stated that emerging evidence reveals that the Omicron is affecting the upper respiratory tract, causing milder symptoms than previous variants.

"Last two years of experience shows that we can fight Covid with mask and the Covid appropriate behaviour... we will fight this variant too."

Research from an Imperial College London study and Scottish paper Early Pandemic Evaluation and Enhanced Surveillance of Covid-19, states that people with Omicron are 15 to 20 per cent less likely to need hospital treatment.

Several scientists have criticised the government's decision not to introduce further Covid restrictions in England before New Year's Eve, with some describing it as "the greatest divergence between scientific advice and legislation" since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, various state governments have announced curbs to stem the worsening situation due to the Omicron variant. The night curfew has been imposed in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Karnataka, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

According to the researchers, the levels of neutralising potency are within the range of titres found in individuals who have been previously infected with and recovered naturally from Covid-19.

The PM directed the officials to ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant. It is important for states to ensure that the oxygen supply equipments are installed and fully functional, he said.

The study analysed blood samples taken from individuals infected with Covid-19; those who had been vaccinated with a two-dose schedule and a third dose booster; and those who had reported previous infection from other Covid-19 variants of concern. The study included samples from 41 individuals who had received three doses of Vaxzevria.

The states have been advised that the main elements of the framework to be used should be based on the test positivity rate of 10 per cent or more in the last one week and on bed occupancy of 40 per cent or more on oxygen supported or ICU beds.

The INSACOG reports genomic surveillance of SARS CoV-2 across the country through sequencing of samples from 'sentinel sites' and also a detailed statewise district analysis for some states.

The study is in tandem with preliminary studies showing that several clinically used antibodies lose neutralising activity against Omicron's spike-expressing recombinant lentiviral or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-based pseudoviruses, the researchers said.

While Omicron was first reported in South Africa on November 24, India's first two cases of this heavily mutated version of the coronavirus were detected in Karnataka on December 2.

The ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Dibrugarh has developed a novel technology -- real-time RT-PCR assay for detection of Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of SARS-CoV2 and a kit for the same.