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Two sub-variants — BA.5.2 and BF.7 — of omicron that together account for over 95% of the genomes sequenced are behind the surge in Covid cases in China, according to a statement by the World Health Organisation’s technical advisory group on virus evolution (TAG-VE). The country doesn’t have any new variant or mutation of known significance, according to the statement.
The statement by TAG-VE is based on two datasets – an analysis of more than 2,000 genomes of locally acquired infections sequenced since December 1, 2022 communicated by scientist from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and 773 sequences from mainland China available in the public domain.
“The China CDC analysis showed a predominance of Omicron lineages BA.5.2 and BF.7 among locally acquired infections. BA.5.2 and BF.7 together accounted for 97.5% of all local infections as per genomic sequencing,” said the TAG-VE statement. Out of the sequences available publicly on the GISAID global database – majority of which were sequences since December 1, 2022 – 95% of genomes for locally acquired cases were BA.5.2. and BF.7.
“This is in line with genomes from travellers from China submitted to the GISAID EpiCoV database by other countries,” the statement said. While acknowledging the data shared by the country, the TAG-VE has said there was a need for additional analysis.
Experts have said, although the variants circulating in China are unlikely to lead to largescale increase in hospitalisations and deaths, there is a possibility of newer variants emerging.
While India detected a few cases of BF.7, which in December 2022 accounted for 1.2% of the cases as per INSACOG data, the other variant has been in circulation in the country since May. The highest numbers of BA.5.2 sequences from India were submitted in July 2022, according to an analysis of the GISAID data by outbreak.info.
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