��������

NEW DELHI: Indian health authorities have appealed to the public and local authorities to resume wearing face masks and increase surveillance after a new, highly transmissible strain of the coronavirus was detected in the country.

At least four of the 145 coronavirus infections registered in the past 24 hours were the BF.7 subvariant of the omicron strain that is responsible for the current wave of cases in China.

China saw a surge in infections after relaxing its strict COVID-19 restrictions, while data from the World Health Organization shows that infection figures have also risen in recent days in other countries, including Japan, South Korea and the US.

“In view of the sudden surge of COVID cases in different countries, (the) Indian Medical Association alerts and appeals to the public to follow COVID appropriate behavior with immediate effect,” India’s top medical body said on Thursday.

It also urged the public to “overcome the impending COVID outbreak” by returning to coronavirus protocols such as the wearing of masks and social distancing — practices that have not been mandatory in most parts of the country for several months.

Also Thursday, Indian Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed parliament to discuss the measures taken by the central government to tackle the matter, including being vigilant for new coronavirus variants.

“The states are being advised to increase community vigilance and control COVID. States have been advised to conduct genome sequencing for all positive cases. This will help identify the new variant and take strong steps to deal with it,” he said.

Health experts, however, told Arab News that despite the warning it was unlikely there would be a repeat of the situation last year when the highly transmissible delta variant infected hundreds of thousands of people daily and claimed more than 450,000 lives between March and May.

“The new variant might have some effect. It won’t be that bad, but we have to be careful. At the moment there is no panicky situation but definitely we need to be careful,” IMA secretary-general Dr. Jayesh Lele said.

“The advisory has been issued so that people are alert.”

Prof. Rama V. Baru, of the Center of Social Medicine and Community Health at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, agreed.

“I would say that it’s important to exercise caution. It’s important to understand that there could be another wave,” she said.

However, the alert might also be a “political handle” to deflect attention from other issues, she added.

“There are very serious real issues in the country today, like the crisis in the economy, the opposition’s Unify India campaign, loss of face of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party due to the recent unsatisfactory performances in the regional elections,” Baru said.

“COVID has been a very good handle politically.”

Prof. T. Jacob John, of the Indian Academy of Sciences, said the number of cases in India was still very low and there was no indication the situation was worsening.

“I am not sure what motivates the government to issue the advisory,” he said. “As an epidemiologist, I am not worried, but maintaining a mask is a good idea. Be cautious.”