Omicron sub-variant BF.7, behind China’s Covid surge, found in several international passengers: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday (January 11, 2023) said that the Omicron sub-variant BF.7, which is behind the surge in new coronavirus infections in China, has been found in several of the 200 Covid-positive samples of international air passengers that have so far been genome-sequenced. Speaking on the sidelines of a book launch, Mandaviya said that more than 15 lakh international air passengers have so far been screened and 200 of them have tested positive for Covid-19.

"The genome-sequencing of the 200 samples showed that the BF.7 variant was present in several passengers. Our vaccines are effective against this sub-variant," he said.

Earlier on January 9, the health ministry had said that the sentinel-sequencing of 324 Covid-positive samples lifted from the community between December 29 and January 7 had revealed the presence of all the Omicron variants, such as BA.2 and its sub-lineages including BA.2.75, XBB(37), BQ.1 and BQ.1.1(5), among others.

Besides, XBB(11), BQ.1.1(12) and BF7.4.1(1) were the main variants detected in the positive samples of 50 international passengers that have so far been genome-sequenced.

No mortality or rise in transmission was reported in the areas where these variants were detected, the ministry had said in a statement.

India records 171 new Covid-19 cases

Meanwhile, India saw 171 fresh Covid-19 cases, while the active caseload increased to 2,342, according to the Union health ministry on Wednesday. An increase of 23 cases has been recorded in the active Covid-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The country's infection tally has reached 4,46,80,386, and the death toll stands at 5,30,722, the data updated at 8 am stated.

The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total infections, while the national Covid-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.80 per cent, the health ministry said.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 0.09 and the weekly positivity rate was pegged at 0.11.

According to the ministry, over 220.15 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been administered in the country so far.