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Deadly new Covid variant has 'high immune escape potential' as warning issued
A leading medical expert has claimed that 'vigilance is critical now, and not panic' after a new leading variant of Covid emerged, which has so far claimed several lives
A warning has been issued over the new deadly variant of Covid has been issued. Dubbed XFG, the variant has taken over in countries such as India, with several deaths reported.
And now medical experts from within the country have claimed that while this is a “natural evolution” of the virus, it contains a feature that makes it more deadly than previous strains.
Dr Balram Bhargava, former Director General of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), said: “The emergence of the XFG variant is part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus's natural evolution.
"Early reports suggest that the variant has high immune escape potential, but there is no current evidence to indicate (an) increased severity (of disease).
“Vigilance is critical now, and not panic. As we have done in the past, we should continue testing when symptomatic, masking in crowded spaces, and staying up to date with vaccinations.”
The XFG variant is known to have come from the previously leading sub-variant called Omicron, and is a combination of the LF.7 and FP.8.1.2 variants.
Despite the claims of it not being deadlier, 74 deaths have been reported in India over the last week, and it comes just a week after the World Health Organisation designated a previous variant – NB.1.8.1 – as a “variant under monitoring”.
No statement has been released about XFG, but on NB.1.8.1, a spokesman for the WHO said: “NB.1.8.1 has been designated a SARS-CoV-2 variant under monitoring (VUM) with increasing proportions globally, while LP.8.1 is starting to decline. Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level. Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease.
“Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation.”
It has not yet been confirmed whether or not the new XFG variant has been discovered in the United Kingdom as yet, but the Daily Star has reached out to the UKHSA for a comment.
Daily Star Sunday
A leading medical expert has claimed that 'vigilance is critical now, and not panic' after a new leading variant of Covid emerged, which has so far claimed several lives
A warning has been issued over the new deadly variant of Covid has been issued. Dubbed XFG, the variant has taken over in countries such as India, with several deaths reported.
And now medical experts from within the country have claimed that while this is a “natural evolution” of the virus, it contains a feature that makes it more deadly than previous strains.
Dr Balram Bhargava, former Director General of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), said: “The emergence of the XFG variant is part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus's natural evolution.
"Early reports suggest that the variant has high immune escape potential, but there is no current evidence to indicate (an) increased severity (of disease).
“Vigilance is critical now, and not panic. As we have done in the past, we should continue testing when symptomatic, masking in crowded spaces, and staying up to date with vaccinations.”
The XFG variant is known to have come from the previously leading sub-variant called Omicron, and is a combination of the LF.7 and FP.8.1.2 variants.
Despite the claims of it not being deadlier, 74 deaths have been reported in India over the last week, and it comes just a week after the World Health Organisation designated a previous variant – NB.1.8.1 – as a “variant under monitoring”.
No statement has been released about XFG, but on NB.1.8.1, a spokesman for the WHO said: “NB.1.8.1 has been designated a SARS-CoV-2 variant under monitoring (VUM) with increasing proportions globally, while LP.8.1 is starting to decline. Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level. Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease.
“Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation.”
It has not yet been confirmed whether or not the new XFG variant has been discovered in the United Kingdom as yet, but the Daily Star has reached out to the UKHSA for a comment.
Daily Star Sunday