Omicron sub-lineage continues to be predominant variant, 349 samples of XBB1.16 detected
Darpan News Desk IANS, 23 Mar, 2023 02:16 PM
New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) Amid the new Covid surge in the country, the Omicron variant and it's sub-lineage continue to be the predominant variant in the country.
According to INSACOG data, a total of 349 samples of Omicron sub-variant XBB1.16 have been detected in genome sequencing.
Total 349 samples of this variant have been detected in the country in last three months, the data showed.
XBB 1.16 was first found in January. However, while only two samples were found then, the number rose to 138 in February, and in March till date total 204 samples of this variant have been found through genome sequencing.
The highest number of cases of this variant have been found in Maharashtra at 105, followed by Telangana 93, Karnataka 57 and Gujarat 54 as per the data.
The other predominant Omicron variant in the country is XBB.1.5 presently. Total 196 samples of this variant have been found in last three months. Total samples of this variant were 46 in January, which rose to 103 in February and in March, it came down to 47 in genome sequencing.
However, the ministry has said that there is no evidence of increase in the ratio of hospitalisation or mortality due to this variant in the country.
Meeting a high-level delegation from Saskatchewan which called on him at his residence here, he advocated strong and cordial ties between Punjab and the Canadian province, noting that Punjabis have been playing a vanguard role in the social and economic progress of Canada.
A Vigilance Bureau spokesman said during the ongoing investigation in the alleged corruption for cutting khair trees, issuance of NOCs for commercial establishments, purchase of tree guards worth crores of rupees, etc, circumstantial evidences surfaced on record against Kumar, on the basis of which he was named accused.
The accused was allowed treatment at the Meggaon Hospital of Shivamogga considering his heart ailment on Wednesday. Murugha Sharanaru was arrested following the complaint by two minor girls, who accused him of sexually exploiting them and threatening them.
A senior CBI official said that a case was registered against the Ved Prakash, the SI posted at Police Station Jaffarpur Kalan, District Dwarka, Delhi on a complaint. It was alleged that the accused was demanding Rs 50,000 from the victim for helping with a complaint pending against him besides settling a land dispute in his favour.
The Chief Minister said instead of paddy, the farmer of the state is ready to sow sunflower, maize, and pulses but for that they must get adequate and assured price. He said this will help checking the depleting water table in the state, on one hand, and making agriculture a profitable venture on the other.
Two persons injured in a road accident on Tuesday-- Sumit Gaur (21),and Mahboob Siddique (20) -- were declared dead and their bodies were kept at the hospital morgue overnight. When Sumit's relatives arrived at the mortuary to claim the body on Wednesday, they found multiple bite marks on his face. The rats had nibbled the nose, they alleged.
