Four cases of Covid sub-variant BF.7 detected in West Bengal

Four cases of BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron was detected in West Bengal, news agency PTI reported citing the state’s health department.

All four cases were from passengers who had a travel history to the United States. Of the four people, three are from Nadia district, while one person hails from Bihar but currently resides in Kolkata, a health official told PTI. Last week, two persons, including a foreign national, tested positive for Covid-19 at Kolkata airport, and their genome sequencing later confirmed they were infected with the BF.7 subvariant of Omicron, he added.

The current surge in Covid-19 infections in China is believed to be driven by the BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron. With China and East Asian countries reporting an increase in Covid-19 cases, Health ministry sources said that India might see a surge in cases in January, citing patterns observed during previous waves. Officials, however, said an increase in hospitalisation and deaths is unlikely.