The newly discovered recombinant coronavirus variant XBB.1.16 is mutating, and an offshoot subtype, XBB.1.16.1, has been discovered in India, reports from India Today stated.
So far, 113 cases of this subtype have been reported throughout the country, with the majority of cases in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
XBB is an Omicron sublineage that is the most common among Omicron variants. In the last 15 months, 400 new Omicron sub-variants have been discovered in India. XBB accounts for 90 percent of all variants.
According to the most recent INSACOG bulletin, the XBB.1.16 variant is responsible for 38.2 percent of all Covid infections in India to date.
XBB.1.16 has the same symptoms as the parent Omicron strain: fever, cough, cold, runny nose, headache, body ache, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.
6,155 fresh COVID infections in India, active cases climb to 31,194
India on Saturday recorded 6,155 fresh COVID-19 infections, while the number of active cases increased to 31,194, according to Union health ministry data.
India's COVID-19 tally now stands at 4.47 crore (4,47,51,259). The death toll climbed to 5,30,954 with 11 deaths, including two reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated.
At 31,194, the active cases comprise 0.07 per cent of the total infections. The national COVID-19 recovery rate stands at 98.74 per cent, according to the health ministry website.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,41,89,111, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent.
According to the ministry's website, 220.66 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.
(With PTI inputs)
