No need to panic over 'XE covid variant' detected in Mumbai: Here is why

Mumbai, Apr 06: On a day confusion reigned supreme over detection of India's first case of XE variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Mumbai, a member of the Maharashtra government's Covid-19 task said there was no need to panic at the moment.

"Mumbai XE variant case occurred in first week in March from an international travellor who fully recovered but Genomic data is out today. No need to panic, follow covid appropriate behavior," posted Dr. Shashank Joshi on his twitter handle.

"FastQ files in respect of the sample, which is being said to be 'XE' variant were analysed in detail by genomic experts of INSACOG who have inferred that the genomic constitution of this variant does not correlate with the genomic picture of 'XE' variant," he said.

INSACOG experts are conducting genomic analysis of a coronavirus case reported as that of the highly transmissible XE variant by Mumbai civic officials, though scientific evidence so far does not indicate it to be so.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday said that a woman who had arrived there from South Africa in February-end and tested positive for COVID-19 on March was infected with the XE variant, which was first detected in the UK.

However, centre has denied it. "Present evidence do not yet indicate that it is a case of XE variant." "Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) experts examined the FastQ files of the sample and have inferred that the genomic composition of this variant which infected the Mumbai woman does not correspond with the genomic composition of the XE variant," an official source said.

"INSACOG is conducting a genomic analysis of the case after a follow-up declared XE positive case of COVID-19 in Mumbai," the official source stated.