A new strain of COVID-19 is in the town. The strain is named XBB.1.16 variant. As per INSACOG, the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the country might be attributable to the strain. Telangana has got 2 confirmed cases of the strain, just one more than that of Gujarat, Himachal Praesh and Odisha.

The highest number of cases have been discovered in Karnataka (30), Maharashtra (29), Puducherry (7) and Delhi (5). As per some experts, this strain is highly transmissible. Also known as Arcutus, the strain has generated important mutations that affect the immunity of the infected people. INSACOG, GISAID and WHO have backed the presence of the strain in India after preliminary research.

"Because early in the uptick of infections, while we still don’t know much about the new variant, it is better not to get exposed to the virus. As the time progresses and we know for sure that the infection is going to be mild, we can relax," says Dr. Mukharjee Madivada, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Managing Director, Pulse Heart Center.