Stealth Omicron: 21 COVID cases of BA.2 sub-lineage reported in Madhya Pradesh

Twenty-one COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant's sub-lineage known as BA.2 have been found in tests conducted over the past 18 days in the laboratory of a private medical institute in Madhya Pradesh's Indore.   Those infected with this sub-lineage of Omicron variant include six children, an official from the private facility said on Monday.   “Since January 6, a total of 21 cases of BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant have been found during tests conducted in our Molecular Virology Diagnostic and Research Lab, which is recognized by the Centre,” Vinod Bhandari, founder chairman of Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS) here told PTI.   "Lung involvement ranging from 1 per cent to 50 per cent was observed in six out of 21 patients of this Omicron sub-lineage. Three patients are still hospitalised, while 18 have been discharged. Of the 21, a total of 15 adults have taken both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine," Bhandari informed.   Indore, the worst coronavirus-hit district in Madhya Pradesh, has a caseload of 1,86,216, including 1,409 deaths.