Genomic evidence does not indicate XE variant in Mumbai patient, say official sources

NEW DELHI: INSACOG experts are conducting genomic analysis of a coronavirus case reported as that of the highly transmissible XE variant by Mumbai civic officials, though scientific evidence so far does not indicate it to be so, official sources said on Wednesday.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday said that a woman who had arrived there from South Africa in February-end and tested positive for COVID-19 on March was infected with the XE variant, which was first detected in the UK.

However, official sources clarified, "Present evidence do not yet indicate that it is a case of XE variant."

"Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) experts examined the FastQ files of the sample and have inferred that the genomic composition of this variant which infected the Mumbai woman does not correspond with the genomic composition of the XE variant," an official source said.

"INSACOG is conducting a genomic analysis of the case after a follow-up declared XE positive case of COVID-19 in Mumbai," the official source stated.

According to Mumbai civic officials, a case of the Kappa variant was also detected during a sero survey and added the results came in genome sequencing of 376 samples, the 11th batch of testing in the local genome sequencing lab.

According to the survey, Omicron variant was found in 228 out of 230 samples (99.13 per cent cases) from Mumbai, the official said.

The genome sequencing of 376 samples was conducted at the municipal Kasturba Hospital's Genome Sequencing Lab.

The condition of the patients infected with the new strains of the virus was not serious, the official said.

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