Highly Transmissible Omicron Subvariant BA.2.12 Likely Behind Current COVID Surge In Delhi

For the past few weeks, the number of daily COVID-19 infections in Delhi are on the rise, driven by the Omicron variant.

According to reports, a newly-identified subvariant (BA.2.12) could be behind the sudden spurt in cases.

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What we know about BA.2.12

The BA.2.12.1 variant, which is replacing the BA.2 in the US, has also been found in a few samples in Delhi.

According to researchers the BA.2.12 strain appears to be fitter apart from having a massive transmission advantage than BA.2.

The BA.2 wave in the United States is soon morphing to the BA2.12.1 wave, a derivative variant with even more fitness and transmission advantage https://t.co/C7vxJq2vmE

¡ª Eric Topol (@EricTopol) April 21, 2022

BA.2.12 found in Delhi

While the presence of BA.2.12 has been confirmed in Delhi, experts are yet to determine if the new strain is behind the current rise in cases.

"New sub-variants BA.2.12 (52 per cent samples) and BA.2.10 (11 per cent samples) are showing high transmission and have been found in over 60 per cent of the total samples from Delhi sequenced recently."

"The BA.2.12 variant appears to have a growth advantage of about 30% to 90% per week over BA.2 (Omicron)," an Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) source told PTI.

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Over 300 samples have been genome sequenced in Delhi in the first fortnight.

BA.2.12 found in other states also

The official said the same sub-variants more or less have been found in samples sequenced in neighbouring districts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Between December 2021 and February 2022 at least 11 samples of the BA.2.12.1 lineage were collected and sequenced from India, according to data available on GISAID.

Explaining the surge in Delhi, a senior scientist said Omicron's reproductive number is 10 which has the highest transmissible level so its derivatives will also have same transmissibility and will spread in absence of hand hygiene, social distancing and masks.

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Eight COVID-19 variants in circulation

According to scientists, currently there are around 8 variants of COVID-19 in circulation, including subvariants of Omicron.

Two other Omicron sub-variants, BA.4 and BA.5, have begun to circulate at low levels in other parts of the world, including South Africa, Botswana, Germany, and Denmark. They also have mutations at 452, among others.

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.

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"There is a possibility that new variants are emerging of the Omicron and they are being sequenced," Dr Sarin told ANI.

"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.

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