All section Close
New COVID Variant XBB Is More Deadly Than Delta Variant? No, Check The Facts Here!
Writer: Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
India, 23 Dec 2022 11:18 AM GMT
Editor : Bharat Nayak |
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
Creatives : Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
Though the new variant is more transmissible than earlier versions of Omicron, but it has a less severe impact on people who were previously infected with the Omicron variant. Health Ministry of India also refuted the viral claim.
A few days back, new COVID-19 variants, mainly 'BA.5.2 and BF.7,' were detected in China and other parts of the world. In India too, 4 cases of this variant have been reported so far. A lot of misinformation is spreading on social media regarding the new variants. Meanwhile, a post regarding the 'XXB variant' is going viral on social media. The post makes several claims related to its spread and effects. A few highlights of the post can be seen below:
- COVID-Omicron XBB coronavirus is different, deadly and not easy to detect correctly.
- There is no cough or fever as symptoms of infection.
- COVID-Omicron XBB is 5 times more virulent than the Delta variant and has a higher mortality rate than it.
- People who are being tested for this variant show false negative results.
Fact Check:
On doing keyword search we found a tweet by the Ministry of Health dated 22 December 2022 in which they refuted the claims pointed above. While calling the claims false, they wrote a caption which reads, "This message is circulating in some Whatsapp groups regarding XBB variant of #COVID19. The message is #FAKE and #MISLEADING."
Taking a hint from it, we did a keyword search and found more update of XXB variant on WHO website. According to it, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported XBB as a recombined subvariant, a sub-lineage of the Omicron variants BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75. It means XBB is a subvariant of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, not a new variant. The World Health Organization (WHO) mentioned that the data available at this time does not indicate that XBB is more harmful than Omicron, which is less lethal than Delta.
According to the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) research, the variant is more transmissible than earlier versions of Omicron. It still means that those individuals and communities that have had low past Omicron infection, particularly BA.5, are at risk for the surge. However, It appears to cause less severe disease to the people who were previously infected with the Omicron variant and they will maintain their immunity against this new subvariant.
The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) also issued a statement in which they mentioned that there has been no report of increase in severity of disease or increase in hospitalization associated with these variants. Indian patients infected with the variant has mild symptoms.
Vishwas News contacted Microbiologist Dr. Lavanya Jagadish, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology Chikkamagaluru Institute of Medical Sciences, Karnataka. She said, "We have not yet received data regarding mortality. However, there is a possibility that HPV is resilient and capable of infecting people who had vaccinated before. The new variants keeps resurfacing. This variant has a brief incubation time and can infect those who have received vaccinations. A total of four cases of the BF.7 sublineage of the BA. 5 Variant have been reported in India, two from Gujarat and two from Odisha. It's time for everyone to adhere to COVID-acceptable behaviour, such as mask use, keeping a six-feet distance, and maintain good hand hygiene."
Physician and epidemiologist, Dr Chandrakant Lahariya told media that the XBB subvariant is not substantially different from past variants of Omicron. However, for the people who have not been exposed to the earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants, for them any variant could be harmful.
It is evident from our investigation that the claim of XBB variant five times stronger and deadlier than the Delta variant is misleading. Though it is more transmissible than earlier versions of Omicron, but it has a less severe impact on the people who were previously infected with the Omicron variant. The Health Ministry of India also refuted the viral claim.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343
Also Read: PM Modi's Photo At Railway Station With Digital Clock Showing '4:20' Is Morphed
Must Reads
We are an independent and public-spirited digital media platform for Indian millennials. We report news and issues that matter as well as give you the opportunity to take action.
