&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "New Covid variant spreads in India as active cases rise to 6,491: What is the XFG variant? - Here's all you need to know")
India is seeing a fresh rise in COVID-19 cases, with the number of active infections reaching 6,491, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. A portion of these cases has been linked to a new variant, known as XFG, as reported by news agency PTI, citing data from INSACOG.
Kerala reports highest number of cases
Among all states, Kerala continues to report the highest number of active cases, with 1,957 ongoing infections. The state also recorded seven new cases in the last 24 hours.
Other states with a significant number of active cases include Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana.
Also read: Was Covid’s true toll in India UNDERCOUNTED? India saw steep drop in deaths in 2022, but...
Over 160 cases of new XFG variant detected
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The rise in infections includes more than 160 cases of the XFG variant, a new sub-lineage of Omicron. INSACOG data shows 163 samples have tested positive for this variant so far.
• Maharashtra has reported the most, with 89 cases
• Tamil Nadu has 16 cases
• Kerala follows with 15 cases
• Gujarat reported 11 cases
• Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal have each reported six cases
What is the XFG variant?
The XFG variant is a descendant of the Omicron subvariant and was first identified in Canada, according to a study published in The Lancet. It originates from the LF.7 and LP.8.1.2 lineages and carries four key spike mutations, His445Arg, Asn487Asp, Gln493Glu, and Thr572Ile.
Researchers have warned that XFG has demonstrated strong immune evasion, allowing it to bypass the body’s natural defences more easily, which may help explain its rapid global spread.
No new deaths reported in 24 hours
While there have been no new deaths recorded in the past day, a total of 65 Covid-related deaths have been reported in India since 1 January 2025, according to the Health Ministry.
These deaths occurred in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Delhi.
