XE variant of coronavirus detected in Gujarat: Govt sources

New Delhi: A case of XE, a sub-variant of Omicron that may be the most transmissible strain of the coronavirus yet, has been detected in Gujarat, official sources told NDTV on Saturday.

As per reports, the patient tested positive for Covid-19 on March 13 and recovered in a week.

After genome-sequencing, it has been discovered that the patient was infected with the XE variant of coronavirus. However, the sample will be re-examined to confirm that it is the XE variant, government sources said.

One case of XM variant has also been detected in the state, they said, without giving more details on the health condition of the two patients.

XE is a "recombinant" which is a mutation of BA'1 and BA.2 Omicron strains.

The World Health Organisation had said that the new mutation XE appears to be 10 per cent more transmissible than the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron.

The XM variant is also a recombinant hybrid of BA.1 and BA.2 strains of Omicron.

Earlier this week, a patient with foreign travel history was reported to have contracted the XE variant but the Health Ministry had denied the report, saying that the "present evidence does not suggest the presence of the new variant".

The Health Ministry said FastQ files in respect of the sample, which is being said to be #XEVariant were analysed in detail by genomic experts of INSACOG who have inferred that the genomic constitution of this variant does not correlate with the genomic picture of 'XE' variant".

The new mutant - first detected in the UK - may be more transmissible than any strain of COVID-19, World Health Organisation had said last week.

However, the virologists in India have said that it is not clear that the variant is strong enough to cause another COVID wave in the country even as they advised to exercise caution and follow COVID-appropriate behaviour.

Although sub-lineages of Omicron are being detected in various parts of the country, there has been no increase in transmission as yet, officials said.

"Genomic experts are looking at the sub-lineages from the genomic angle and public health experts at National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are analysing the new variants. Experts need to study the findings before they have a final conclusion with regard to the public health impact of various variants," officials added.

XE is recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 sublineages of COVID-19.

The WHO said in its latest update that the XE recombinant (BA.1-BA.2) was first detected in the UK on January 19 and more than 600 sequences have been reported and confirmed since then.

Early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of 10 per cent as compared to BA.2. However, this finding requires further confirmation, it said.