The spike in covid cases in India can be attributed to the emergence of the new XBB The spike in covid cases in India can be attributed to the emergence of the new XBB.1.16 variant, said Rajesh Gokhale, secretary of the department of biotechnology and chief of India’s SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium.
The variant has been found in Maharashtra and among Indian travellers, according to the World Health Organization. In an interview, Gokhale noted that the widespread exposure to covid-19 has made the population susceptible to various viruses, including the seasonal flu.
The department of biotechnology, he said, is developing India’s first indigenous influenza vaccine, targeting a 60% efficacy against all variants, including H1N1 (swine flu) and H2N3 viruses.
As part of the plan, the department has initiated three funded programmes and three international collaborations—one with the European Union and two with the Netherlands.