The new, seemingly more contagious Omicron subvariant of the coronavirus, BF.7, has been detected in Bangladesh amid concerns about a fresh surge in Covid cases.
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Dr Tahmina Shirin confirmed the matter on Sunday.
The presence of the Omicron subvariant was found in the genome sequence reports of one of the four Covid-infected Chinese citizens who had come to Bangladesh from their country recently.
The Chinese nationals had RT-PCR Covid negative certificates with them, but rapid antigen tests found them to be positive for Covid, according to health officials.
They were then sent to DNCC Dedicated Covid-19 Hospital to isolate.
The BF.7 subvariant, which descended from the BA.5 strain, is extremely adept at evading immunity and is believed to be responsible for China's current Covid surge.
Amid concerns about the seemingly more contagious subvariant, the health authorities in Bangladesh on December 25 directed all land, air and sea ports to increase screening and precautionary measures.
BF.7 is also known as R18, which means it can infect 18 people from one affected patient, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
It also said the subvariant's incubation period is short, so it can infect more people in a comparatively shorter period.
Every new infection offers a chance for the coronavirus to mutate.
