Top Covid Updates: First ‘XE’, now ‘BA.4’ and ‘BA.5’! As scientists detect new Omicron variants, how concerned should you be?

Coronavirus April 13th Latest News: South African scientists have detected two new subvariants of Omicron, known as BA.4 and BA.5. According to Tulio de Oliveira, Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response & innovation, South Africa, the two new variants have been detected in South Africa, Botswana, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, and U.K. “Early indications suggest that these new sublineages are increasing as a share of genomically confirmed cases in South Africa,” Oliveira shared on Twitter. He further added that there is no cause for alarm as no major spike in cases, admissions or deaths were found in South Africa. Earlier the recombinant of BA.1 and BA.2 sub variants of Omicron, known as the XE strain, was reported in many countries, including India.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the issue at a press conference on Tuesday and said that XE is just another form of Omicron. He also asked people to maintain precautions as the pandemic is not over yet. Mandaviya further said that while the COVID-19 situation is under control, the government is continuously monitoring it and advising states accordingly.

Here are the latest updates on Covid-19 situation in India and from around the globe:

– According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday, India saw a single day rise of 1,088 new Covid-19 infections taking the total tally of infections to 4,30,38,016, while the active cases dipped to 10,870. The death toll climbed to 5,21,736 with 26 fresh fatalities.

– According to a PTI report, doctors have cautioned regarding the need to be “vigilant” and that people should follow all safety norms and not let a sense of complacency set in. With the Covid positivity rate in Delhi jumping from 0.5 per cent to 2.70 per cent in a span of the last one week, doctors on Tuesday said it was “not a panic situation” as the daily cases count was still lower, there is still time to stay in control of the virus.

– Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday told the Assembly that the state is geared up to tackle the new COVID-19 variant XE or any other strain and that the state government is monitoring the situation.

– South Korea’s health ministry has said that it will administer a second booster shot for people over 60 years of age as the country continues to battle the highly contagious Omicron variant.

– A UN report on Tuesday said that the Covid-19 pandemic plunged 77 million more people into extreme poverty last year and many developing countries can’t recover because of the crippling cost of debt repayments.

(With Agency Inputs)