Fourth wave threat looms large! Possibility of new variants of Omicron in Delhi, says expert

Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), believes that there are eight variants of Omicron and amongst them, one is dominating, which can be held responsible for the surge in cases.

New Delhi: With the latest spike of more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases in the national capital in a single day, health experts believed that possibilities of new variants of the Omicron are emerging and they are being sequenced. Delhi on Wednesday reported 1,009 fresh cases, the highest since February 10, while the positivity rate is 5.70 per cent. A top expert believes that there are eight variants of Omicron and amongst them, one is dominating which can be held responsible for the surge in cases.

Speaking to ANI, Dr SK Sarin, Director, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), said that there is a possibility of new variants of Omicron in Delhi while adding that the samples at the ILBS lab have been sequenced. "There is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron and they are being sequenced," said Dr Sarin.

He further said that there are eight variants of Omicron and amongst them, one is dominating."I think by today at our institute ILBS many samples have been sequenced and I think there are eight variants of which one is now dominating, we will come to know slowly," he told ANI. According to ANI sources, BA.2.12.1 is the variant, which is a sibling of Omicron, and is also responsible for the sudden surge in Delhi.

Dr Sarin warned and said that people need to be careful. "I would suggest people should be very careful. There is a fear that children may get infected because they are not adequately vaccinated. People must wear masks," he added. Since the beginning of April, India has been continuously registering a rise in Covid cases daily. However, on Monday, the country recorded about a 90 per cent jump with 2,183 cases.