More than 200 air passengers tested Covid-19 positive with BF.7 variant, which is behind the massive rise in cases in China, during the random sampling at the airports, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday. He said that over 15 lakh air passengers were screened for Covid-19.
“Till today, more than 15 lakh air passengers screened for Covid19. Of which more than 200 passengers were found Covid positive; their samples sent for genome sequencing showed that the BF.7 variant was found in many passengers. Our vaccines are effective against this variant,” the minister was quoted by news agency ANI.
Mandaviya informed that around 8,700 flights have been traced so far.
“Amid the Covid fourth wave in the world, we’re monitoring every airport. So far 8,700 flights have been monitored. Over 15 lakh passengers have been traced and out of them over 200 passengers have been detected as Covid positive,” he stated.
“All of them were sent for isolation and their samples were sent for genome sequencing. Through genome sequencing, we’ve found Covid BF.7 variant in some passengers. However, our vaccine is effective enough to fight the BF.7 variant. We’re taking all necessary measures,” Mandaviya added, ANI reported.
The central government is tracing all the airports to ensure that no new variant enters the country, keeping in view the sudden Covid-19 surge globally.
The health ministry had, on January 9, said the sentinel-sequencing of 324 Covid-positive samples lifted from the community between December 29 and January 7 had revealed the presence of all the Omicron variants, such as BA.2 and its sub-lineages including BA.2.75, XBB(37), BQ.1 and BQ.1.1(5), among others.
Besides, XBB(11), BQ.1.1(12) and BF7.4.1(1) were the main variants detected in the positive samples of 50 international passengers that have so far been genome-sequenced.
(With ANI inputs)
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