New Delhi: Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium (INSACOG) is keeping a check on XE COVID-19 variant instances in the nation, with an emphasis on hospitalisation and severe events, but there is no need to fear, according to the sources, news agency ANI reported.
"Unless this sequence is verified after isolating the virus, we will not be able to comment on it. We will have to wait to know whether it is different or not," sources informed ANI.
A case of the XE variant was discovered in Gujarat, which was validated by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Gujarat Ministry of
 Health.
"We are in touch with the Governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Biotechnology research centre found the mutation in the sample that's why genome sequencing is required after which the sample was sent to Kolkata where they have confirmed the sample as an XE variant. We have got confirmation," Manoj Agarwal, IAS, Additional chief secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Gujarat was quoted by ANI in its report.
He went on to say that the guy who tested positive for the virus travelled from Maharashtra to Baroda in Gujarat.
"A 66-year-old person who travelled to Vadodara's Gotri from Mumbai was staying in a private hotel and showed symptoms of COVID-19 and he tested positive. But he went back by road to Mumbai. We have done contact tracing of three persons and all of them tested negative," he added.