Details about Omicron subvariant BF.7 infected person detected in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Hours after media reports claimed the detection of three cases of Omicron BF.7 Covid subvariant in India, the Health and Family Welfare department of Odisha today came up with the details regarding the only infected person in the state.

The Omicron BF.7 sub variant was detected in Odisha during a single sample testing on September 30, this year. The RTPCR testing was done on demand from a woman of Khordha district, said a senior official of the Health department.

The Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, conducted the genome sequencing of the sample, added the official.

During the testing, it was found that the sample was neither a Variant of Concern (VOC) nor a Variant of Interest (VOI). No other sample of Omicron BF.7 subvariant was detected in Odisha in the last three months, said the official.

“The woman tested positive for Omicron BF.7 was asymptomatic at time of test. She underwent Covid test before her travel to the USA. She and her family have been staying in the USA since October. None of them have any flu like symptoms since their departure from India,” said the official.

Notably, the Omicron sub variant BF.7 has been driving the recent surge in Covid case in China and some other countries in the world.

Sources, meanwhile, claimed that the Health and Family Welfare department will convene a high-level meeting on December 23 to discuss the Covid-19 situation in Odisha. Health and Family Welfare department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shalini Pandit will preside over the meeting. The meeting will deliberate upon the possible impact of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup-2023 on the Covid-19 situation in the state.