India finds four cases of Covid variant that is driving up disease numbers in China

New Delhi asks states to reimpose wearing masks in public places

India has detected four cases of the BF.7 strain of the coronavirus that has been behind the spike in cases in China.

Three cases of the strain of the Omicron variant of the virus have been detected in the western state of Gujarat, while one has been confirmed from Odisha. Of the three infected in Gujarat, two were from Ahmedabad and the third person in Vadodara was visiting from the US.

All four patients were asymptomatic and were treated in home isolation and eventually recovered. The cases were reportedly recorded in July, September and November this year.

The strain is believed to be the reason behind the monumental rise in cases in China after the Communist government abandoned its "zero-Covid" restrictions. The World Health Organisation said it was “very concerned over the evolving situation... with increasing reports of severe disease.”

Meanwhile, New Delhi has been reviewing its Covid policy to brace for a potential rise in cases. The federal government has instructed states to send Covid samples for genome sequencing. The airports have been alerted to conduct a random RT-PCR sampling among international passengers arriving from China and other countries.

Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya told parliament on Thursday that states have been advised to increase genome sequencing to “timely identify the new variant of Covid-19”.

Amidst the ongoing festive season, state administrations have been asked to make sure people wear “masks, use sanitisers and maintain social distancing along with increasing awareness for precautionary doses”.

Earlier on Wednesday, he asked people to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, which includes wearing masks in crowded places and getting booster vaccine doses. "Covid is not over yet. I have directed all concerned to be alert and strengthen surveillance," the minister said.

"We are prepared to manage any situation."

Dr NK Mehra, an honorary emeritus scientist of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said the BF.7 strain has a reproduction value of more than 10, which means an individual can infect at least 10 others. "In India, most people have hybrid immunity on account of widespread infection and vaccination. I do not think there should be any cause of concern," he told Times of India.

The country's top doctor's body in an advisory on Thursday asked the public to use caution with immediate effect and consult a medical practitioner in case of symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough.

The Indian Medical Association appealed to the government to ready itself for "any such situation as seen in 2021" by making available emergency medicines, oxygen supply, and ambulance services. During the second wave of Covid last summer, thousands of people in India were seen scrambling for oxygen cylinders and hospital beds, as crematoriums overflowed with dead bodies.

Prime minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to conduct a high-level meeting with officials to review the Covid situation.