‘Omicron BA.2 dominant in symptomatic Nagpur cases’
Sarfaraz.Ahmed@timesgroup.com
23.01.2022
Nagpur: The new Omicron lineage BA. 2 is turning out to be the dominant variant among symptomatic patients in Maharashtra’s Nagpur district, according to Neeri’s latest genome sequencing study. As has been the case with the Omicron variant thus far, people testing Covid positive in the past 30 days were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.
The earlier three genome sequencing series conducted by Neeri were done on 201samples randomly collected between January 1 and 16 from different parts of Nagpur city. In this fourth series, sequencing was done on 89 samples of symptomatic cases, including six admitted to a private hospital. These samples were collected between January17 and 21 by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). The BA. 2 doesn’t exhibit ‘S’ gene deletion, thus making it difficult to detect without genome sequencing. Authorities had been relying on ‘S’ gene target failure (SGTF) RT-PCR kits to look out for Omicron suspects among new Covid cases.
The Neeri study dispels doubts among doctors regarding patients in ICUs. Doctors had assumed Delta variant patients required oxygen support or intensive care in the third wave. The latest findings led to a change in treatment protocol. “The Sars-Cov-2 study showed distribution of Omicron lineage B1. 1. 529, BA. 1, and BA. 2 among the studied symptomatic patients. The percentage share was B. 1. 1529 (31. 5%), BA. 1 (2. 3%) and BA. 2 (66. 2%),” said Dr Krishna Khairnar, head of environmental virology cell at Neeri.
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