US-Returnee Tests Positive For XBB.1.5 COVID Variant In Rajasthan

Jaipur: Rajasthan has reported its first case of XBB.1.5, a subvariant of coronavirus’ Omicron variant.

A man from Sikar, who returned from the USA on December 19, has been found to be infected by the subvariant which is driving the current surge in COVID19 cases in America.

According to Dr Vijay Foujdar, chief medical health officer (CMHO), Jaipur, the man had fever on December 22 and tested positive for COVID.

“The genome sequencing report arrived today and the new variant XBB 1.5 has been detected,” he informed.

The man is healthy and under home quarantine. A medical team has been assigned to collect samples of his relatives and contacts.

The XBB.1.5 strain is a relative of Omicron XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants. XBB and XBB.1.5 currently make up for 44% of COVID cases in the US.

Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), India’s coronavirus monitoring body, said on Tuesday five cases of XBB.1.5 subvariant of the coronavirus have been detected in the country.