Infections due to new Covid strains not severe, we’re monitoring: ICMR-NIV Director

Pune: The JN.1.16 sub lineage of Omicron variant and the XFG (LF.7 and LP.81.2) recombinant variant did not cause much severe Covid infection, said Dr Naveen Kumar, Director ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV) on Wednesday, even as the active number of cases declined after rising for over a month.

According to the Health Ministry’s latest update, there are 6,483 active cases and 113 deaths. This comes after the recent increase in Covid cases noticed since the second week of April, with active cases rising over 7,000 in the country.

“Genomic analysis revealed that the surge was due to JN.1.16 sub lineage of omicron variant and since May 2025, it was replaced by the XFG (LF.7 and LP.81.2) recombinant variant,” Kumar told IANS here.

“The observations made as of now suggest that the disease associated with these strains are not very much severe,” he added.

He stated that since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the NIV has been tracking the virus and its different variants from its 73 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VDRLs) across the country.

“ICMR-NIV in Pune is continuously monitoring the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 by the whole genome sequencing of RT PCR positive samples referred from 73 VRDLs across the country. Covid has never gone ever since, you know, since 2019. NIV is closely monitoring the various strains circulating in the country,” Kumar told IANS.

India has submitted the whole genome sequences to IBDC (Indian Biological Data Centre) and GISAID, a global open-access database. The NIV is also in the process of isolating newer variants, he said.

“This effort will be helpful to assess vaccine effectiveness and to support India’s indigenous efforts for vaccine development,” Kumar said.

Notably, two monovalent Omicron-based vaccines are available (Biological E Limited’s Corbivax and Serum Institute of India’s COVOVAX) in the country.

On whether there are any requirements for vaccines to tackle the newer variants, Kumar stated that the decision lies with the government.

“The decision of whether or not to have a new vaccine using the currently circulating stain is a policy decision. NIV’s role is to monitor the recently circulating virus strain,” Kumar said, adding that the situation is being continuously monitored by Health Ministry.
IANS