Has Pakistan detected first case of new Covid variant XBB?

ISLAMABAD – The country’s top health body has rejected claims about the detection of new Covid variant XBB amid contrasting reports in local media.

In a statement on Tuesday, National Institute of Health (NIH) Executive Director Aamer Ikram dismissed all reports surrounding the presence of a new dominant variant of contagious infection. “No cases of a new variant of Covid have been reported,” he said.

The top NIH official said all arrangements have been completed to combat the new variant; however, he denied reports about the detection of first case.

Earlier, reports in local media quoting NIH and Aga Khan University officials claimed about the presence of a highly infectious subvariant which was detected through genome sequencing.

Officials told media that genomic surveillance is underway in the capital although only a few samples are available for sequencing in light of limited positive cases in recent days.

The health officials also urged the masses not to panic, saying there is no imminent threat of any major Covid wave in the South Asian country as authorities are monitoring the situation.

Pakistan resumes thermal screening at airports amid fears of Covid BF.7 variant

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