Central body INSACOG on Sunday confirmed the detection of BA.4 and BA.5 variants of the coronavirus disease in India. The first one in Tamil Nadu and other in Telangana.
Both are subvariants of thevOmicron variant that had led to a massive spread of the virus in the country earlier this year.
According to a press release issued by INSACOG, a 19-year-old female in Tamil Nadu has been found infected with the BA.4 variant of SARS-CoV-2. The patient has shown only mild clinical symptoms and has been fully vaccinated. The patient had no travel history.
On the other hand, a 80-year-old male in Telangana has tested positive for the BA.S variant SARS-CoV-2. The patient has shown only mild clinical symptoms and has been fully vaccinated. The patient had no travel history.
Contact tracing of the BA 4, and BA 5 patients is being undertaken as a precautionary measure.
BA4 and BA 5 are subvariants of the Omicron variant circulating globally. These were reported first from South Africa carlier this year and are now reported from several other countries.
These variants have not been associated with disease severity or increased hospitalization.
