Omicron Giving Rise To Many New Variants But No Need To Panic, Says NTAGI Chief Amid New Cases Of XE Variant

The chairman of the Covid-19 National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) NK Arora has said that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is giving rise to many new variants.

Chairman of the Covid-19 National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) NK Arora | Photo: Twitter/@ANI

New Delhi: The chairman of the Covid-19 National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) NK Arora on Monday said that the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is giving rise to many new variants. He added that it is from the X series like XE and others. 

He further said that these variants will keep on occurring, and that there is no need to panic. 

"Omicron giving rise to many new variants. It is of X series like XE & others. These variants will keep on occurring. Nothing to panic about... At the moment from Indian data it doesn’t show a very rapid spread," news agency ANI quoted Arora as saying.

Omicron giving rise to many new variants. It is of X series like XE & others. These variants will keep on occurring. Nothing to panic about... At the moment from Indian data it doesn’t show a very rapid spread: NK Arora, Chairman, Covid working group NTAGI pic.twitter.com/fu5E3QmdoJ

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2022

Last week, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG) said that it is keeping a check on XE variant infections in the country, with an emphasis on hospitalisation and severe events, but there is no need to fear, ANI reported.

"Unless this sequence is verified after isolating the virus, we will not be able to comment on it. We will have to wait to know whether it is different or not," ANI quoted INSACOG sources as saying. 

On April 9, the first case of infection with XE variant in India was discovered in Mumbai and verified by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), New Delhi.

The person infected was a 67-year-old man who travelled from Mumbai to Vadodara, Gujarat, on March 12, and developed a minor fever, a statement issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. 

After his samples were sequenced, it was found that he was infected with the XE variant. 

The person was fully vaccinated against Covid-19. 

What Is XE Variant?

XE is the third recombinant strain of Covid-19 detected so far, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The other two recombinant or hybrid strains are XD and XF. 

According to the UK Health Security Agency, XE is a recombinant of Omicron sub-variants BA.1 and BA.2. 

In a statement issued by the health agency, Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical Advisor, UKHSA, said that XE has shown variable growth rate and that it cannot be confirmed yet whether XE has a true growth advantage. She said that so far, there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity, or vaccine effectiveness.

Warning about the new variant, the WHO had said that the XE recombinant was first detected in the United Kingdom on January 19.