How Serious Is the New Covid Variant?

The unprecedented surge in the Covid cases is scaring many people across the country. While many have expressed concern about its fatality, a few others are apprehensive of the diseases that the virus can cause in the human beings. However, experts say there is nothing to panic about the new variants or the severity of Covid-19 cases, as nothing serious has been identified about them.

Amidst the escalating concerns, new subvariants, LF.7 and NB.1.8.1 have been detected in India. Both the variants are part of the evolving Omicron lineage, and were found in different parts of the country.

According to the data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), one case of NB.1.8.1 was found in Tamil Naidu in April, while four cases of LF.7 were found in Gujarat in May. The sample from Tamil Nadu with NB.1.8.1 was collected and sequenced in April, after being submitted to India’s Covid-19 genome sequencing consortium INSACOG.

Meanwhile, many of the Covid-19 sample sequenced in India in the last two weeks were BA.2 and JN.1 variants. In the last few weeks, news reports indicated a rise in Covid-19 cases in Singapore and Hong Kong. However, the cases are mostly mild, not having severity or mortality.

What are LF.7 &s NB.1.8.1?

The WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution has designated the Sars-CoV-2 variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 as ‘Variants under monitoring’, which means they have mutations that could influence the virus behaviour. The virus shows significant changes in virus characteristics, but the epidemiological impact is yet to be identified. Hence, not classified as ‘variants of concern’ or ‘variants of interest’.

Both NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 are sub-lineages of the JN.1 variant, the dominant strain in India, accounting for 53% of the sequenced samples. Studies and expert assessments suggest that these sub-variants are more transmissible and have the ability to evade immune defences, compared to the earlier strains.

The NB.1.8.1 carries spike protein mutations called A435S, V445H and T478I, which improve its infectiousness and immune evasion capabilities. The JN.1 lineage carries the L455S mutation, assumed to make it 1.5 times more infectious than the previous variants. However, the severity of illness caused by the subvariants appears to be very low.

As of May 19, India reported 257 active Covid-19 cases. In the last week, Covid-19 cases crossed 100 in Delhi, 400 in Kerala with 750 new cases across the country. The states of Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu have emerged to be hotspots. Mumbai, Pune, and Thane reported the most cases.

The Delhi health department issued advisories to the managements of hospitals to ensure the availability of beds, oxygen, medicines, and vaccines in the wake of the increasing cases. Doctors said that the situation is under control and there is no need to panic.

Though the variant-specific vaccines are not yet available in the country, doctors said that the existing boosters can still provide strong protection and also minimise the risk of symptomatic infection by 50% and severe disease by up to 80%.