NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has convened a high-level meeting to assess the Covid situation in the country after the presence of Omicron BF-7, a rapidly spreading Covid variant, was confirmed in India. The Prime Minister is also likely to address the nation in view of the resurgence of Covid concerns.

The new variant was confirmed in a woman of Indian origin who arrived in Vadodara, Gujarat from the US, and a man who returned to Ahmedabad from abroad. The third patient is from Odisha. BF 7 is a subtype of Omicron B A 5. It is capable of strong infection and rapid spread. It can also cause disease in those who have received the vaccine.

In the face of increasing cases of Covid in countries like China and America, preventive measures have been strengthened again in India. The Ministry of Health is of the opinion that the spread of the disease can be prevented with better precautionary measures.

Masks have been made mandatory again in crowded places. Random Covid testing at airports for those coming from abroad started yesterday. If one of the passengers tests positive for covid then all other passengers will be tested. Those who are positive will be monitored.

The Centre has directed states and union territories to send positive samples to well-equipped INSACOG labs for genome sequencing. There are 38 such labs across the country. Centre also reccommend booster doses without day and especially senior citizens should not default in this regard.