In a worrying development, it has come to light that a new Omicron variant, BA.2.12.1, which is responsible for the latest surge in US, has been detected in Maharashtra.
This development comes at a time when the state, including Mumbai, has witnessed a significant spike in the COVID-19 cases. Moreover, Mumbai recently also registered the first cases of three patients with BA.4 and one patient of the BA.5 sub-variants of the Omicron strain. It has been reported that all these cases were between May 14 and 24 all of whom have recovered in home isolation.
Amid this situation, COVID-19 cases rise, the Maharashtra health department has focused on stepping up genome surveillance and vaccination.
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Meanwhile, experts stated that it is too early to say that it can more dangerous than any other variant or sub variant. But BA.2.12.1's reign may end as quickly as it began, with yet another batch of omicron subvariants gaining ground—BA.4 and BA.5—and threatening to cause more breakthrough infections.
As per public health department, on Tuesday, June 14, Maharashtra saw 2,956 cases after Monday's, June 13, low of 1,885. Mumbai also reported 1,724 cases, up from 1,118. The state also recorded four deaths, although this is far from the scale of the first and second wave.
Earlier on May 28, Maharashtra's Pune had reported cases of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of COVID-19.