KARACHI: The provincial health department reported on Tuesday that Karachi has a case of the highly infectious Covid-19 subvariant BF-7.
At the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), the sample was tested.
Officials with the health department claim that this is the nation’s first case of the highly contagious coronavirus sub-variant. A 49-year-old male patient had it found.
According to the officials, despite the immune-evasive properties of BF-7 and the concerning indications of its expansion in China, the variant appears to be fairly stable elsewhere.
For instance, it was estimated that it would cause 5.7% of infections in the United States up until December 10, 2022, down from 6.6% the previous week. The department stated, “The low level of immunity in China from the previous infection and possibly vaccination may be one reason for the high reproduction rate of BF-7 and the Chinese situation.”
The most recent data indicate that BF-7 transmits faster than other variations. It has a shorter incubation period and a greater capacity to infect individuals who have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
The presence of the XBB and XBB-1 subvariants of the Omicron variant in the city was previously confirmed by the provincial health department.
According to the most recent report from the health department, five new cases have been identified in the past two days and 12 of the patients being treated at hospitals are on a ventilator.
