A new variant of COVID-19, Omicron BA5, has been detected in the State, Health minister Ma. Subramanian announced on the sidelines of the inauguration of a book exhibition in Tiruvallur district on Sunday.
Of the 150 samples sent to Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad, four persons were found to have been infected with the BA4 variant and eight persons with BA5. All of them are under observation and are being monitored, he said.
Until yesterday, the State had registered only two types of variant — BA1 and BA2 — predominantly. “We sent 150 samples to Hyderabad. Of this, 12 have returned positive for BA4 and BA5. We are also monitoring the persons who have been in contact with the infected persons,” Mr. Subramanian said. “We have traced the contacts of all the 12 persons,” he added.
