90 new Covid variants detected in India in last two months: Health Ministry

“During the last 60 days, more than 90 new variants have been detected amongst the samples analyzed by the INSACOG across the country,” said Minister of State for Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar in the Lok Sabha.

New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry on Friday said that more than 90 new variants have been detected amongst the samples analyzed by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG) in the last two months across the country.

“During the last 60 days, more than 90 new variants have been detected amongst the samples analysed by the INSACOG across the country. Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variants in India. Of these, XBB, BQ are the most prevalent lineages circulating in the country,” said Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar in the Lok Sabha.

She said that given the emergence of variants of the COVID-19 virus with variable transmissibility and their possible health implications, the Union Ministry of Health is following the COVID-19 trajectory globally and in the country along with various expert committees. “In addition, Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) network laboratories conduct whole genome sequencing of samples for detection of mutant variants of the virus,” she said.

In light of the increasing trajectory of COVID-19 cases noted in some countries across the world, the ‘Guidelines for International Arrivals’ was last updated on December 29, 2022, wherein an additional requirement of pre-departure testing and uploading of negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test reports and self-health declaration form on Air Suvidha portal has been made mandatory for travelers coming from/transiting via China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan.

“Besides this, a sub-section (2 percent of the total passengers in all incoming international flights) shall undergo random post-arrival testing at the airport on arrival, irrespective of port of departure,” Pawar stated.