ISLAMABAD: According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Aga Khan University, the presence of Omicron subtype XBB, one of the three dominant strains of COVID-19 in China, has been confirmed through genome sequencing in Pakistan.
However, the country is immune to the highly infectious strain — BF.7.
Genomic surveillance continues at NIH Islamabad. However, due to low positivity, only a few samples are available for sequencing. Our last batch showed increased cases of Omicron XBB,” said an official at NIH Islamabad.
NIH officials also reiterated that there is no imminent threat of a major wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan. However, we are constantly monitoring the situation and are prepared for any eventuality.
On the other hand, scientists from Aga Khan University also confirmed to JEE News that they detected the XBB sub-variant of the Omicron variant and reported it to the authorities in the country, but added that they have yet to identify the other two sub-variants. Not seen, including BF.7 in the country.
Infectious disease expert Dr Faisal Sultan believes that apart from the XBB variant, the highly contagious BF.7 would also be present and circulating in the country as there were no travel restrictions to prevent the movement of the COVID-19 virus.
Dr. Faisal Mehmood, another infectious disease specialist of Aga Khan University, also said that there is no doubt about the presence of both XBB and BF.7 types in Pakistan, but he claimed that vaccines, especially mRNA vaccine mix-ends. Because of the match, people had received. Better immunity compared to the Chinese population.
On the other hand, Professor Saeed Khan, a senior molecular scientist and Professor of Pathology at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Karachi, said that the BF.7 variant has not yet entered Pakistan. .7 enters Pakistan, there will be a rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 that will announce its presence in the country.
According to them, the BF.7 variant has the ability to evade natural and artificial immunity against re-infection with COVID-19 and was so contagious that one person infected with the virus could infect 18 to 20 others.
“Once, we have this variant on our soil, we will see an increase similar to what we saw when the original Omicron variant started infecting people in Pakistan. Cases of CoVID-19 have increased rapidly. , which is not happening at the moment,” said Prof Khan.
