Surge in COVID-19 Cases in India: New Variant XFG Identified

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in India, the total number of active cases has approached 6,500, with some infections linked to newly emerging variants. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are currently 6,491 active cases across the country. State-wise data indicates that Kerala remains the most affected state, reporting 1,957 active cases, including seven new cases in the last 24 hours.

Amid this surge, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has reportedly attributed over 160 active cases to the new XFG variant. INSACOG's data reveals that 163 samples tested positive for the XFG variant, with the majority (89 cases) found in Maharashtra, followed by Tamil Nadu (16), Kerala (15), and Gujarat (11). Six cases each were reported in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. An article published in 'The Lancet' notes that the XFG variant features four significant spike mutations and has rapidly spread globally since its initial identification in Canada.

According to INSACOG, the XFG variant has been detected in a total of 163 samples. The highest number of cases was found in Maharashtra (89), followed by Tamil Nadu (16), Kerala (15), Gujarat (11), and six cases each in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. Data shows that in May, the XFG variant was identified in 159 samples, with two additional samples tested in April and June. As per the latest figures from the central health ministry, the number of COVID-19 patients undergoing treatment in India has surpassed 6,000, including 769 new cases reported in the last 48 hours.