Covid variant BF.7 spreading like wildfire in China: How worried should you be?

The fresh surge in Covid cases in China has sent shock waves through the subcontinent, especially in India. As per news reports, China has been hit by omicron subvariant BF.7, which is spreading like wildfire and has already affected thousands across the country. According to World Health Organization (WHO), BF.7, which is a shorter term for BA.5.2.1.7, is the fastest spreading Covid virus.  

China has so far reported 3,101 new symptomatic Covid infections on Tuesday, of which 3,049 were domestic cases. The total number of confirmed cases with symptoms reached 386,276. China reported five deaths on Monday and two on Sunday, according to a Reuters report, taking its total death count to 5,242. But as per several local reports, the situation is much worse than what is been reported by the state media. 

What is BF.7 subvariant? 

BF.7 is an Omicron's subvariant, which has been in transmission for almost a year and has hit many countries so far. Cases of BF.7 subvariant hit the US in October, while in the UK over 7 per cent of the cases were of this variant. As per health experts, there are over 500 Omicron sub-variants that have been affecting people in different countries.  It has now reached Australia and Belgium. The virus is highly infectious and can escape the immune response to the earlier versions, either from natural infection or through vaccination. 

As per experts, Omicron BF.7 has more immune escape capability, a shorter incubation period, and a faster transmission rate, as compared to the BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5 variants detected previously. 

Also Watch: What Is BF.7 Covid Variant? China's New Covid Variant Reaches India

Li Tongzeng, a medical expert at Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital, told The Global Times, that the symptoms caused by BF.7 are similar to other Omicron sub-variants. Patients may have fever, cough, sore throat, and other symptoms, with some symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, and others. 

Li said BF.7 is believed to have an R0, or basic reproduction number, of 10 to 18.6. Therefore, an infected person will transmit the virus to an average of 10 to 18.6 other people when he or she is in contact. Research has shown omicron had an average R0 of 5.08. besides, BF.7 has more mutations in its spike protein than its base variant, which makes it even more infectious and dangerous, even to those who are fully vaccinated.

China’s struggle 

Of late, China has been reportedly struggling to contain a sudden surge in Covid-related deaths after an abrupt shift from its Zero Covid policy earlier this month that imposed strict lockdowns and mass testing after a round of severe protests from its citizens. 

 

Several reports have been doing rounds on social media about the current crisis. The hospital staff and workers at funeral homes and crematoriums are working overtime to handle the growing number of bodies. In one such video, shared by The Telegraph on Twitter, a doctor, after long hours at work, collapsed on his chair. Unable to revive him, his colleagues moved him out of the chair, The Telegraph video said. 

On Monday, Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and health economist based in the US, in a long Twitter thread, said that more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of Earth's population are likely to be infected over the next 90 days with deaths likely in the millions. As per various reports, the Chinese are still vulnerable to the virus because of low vaccination rates and poor investment in emergency care.