The two sub-variants belong to the highly-transmissive Omicron strain of coronavirus, which led to a third wave earlier this year.
Highlights
- Mumbai on Monday detected three cases of BA.4 and one of BA.5 Omicron sub-variants of coronavirus
- Out of the four patients, two were girls aged 11 and two men in the 40 to 60 age group
- Mumbai has been witnessing a rise in Covid cases since the beginning of this month
Mumbai on Monday detected three cases of BA.4 and one of BA.5 Omicron sub-variants of coronavirus, informed the Maharashtra health department. The two sub-variants belong to the highly-transmissive Omicron strain of coronavirus, which led to a third wave earlier this year.
The health department said a report of civic-run Kasturba Hospital's laboratory confirmed the presence of BA.4 sub-lineage in three patients and BA.5 sub-variant in one patient in the metropolis.
Out of the four patients, two were girls aged 11 and two men in the 40 to 60 age group, it said. "All these patients have recovered under home isolation," the department stated.
Mumbai's rising Covid cases
Mumbai has been witnessing a rise in Covid cases since the beginning of this month. On Sunday, the city had reported almost 3,000 fresh infections, sending a wave of concern across the state. The city saw a 1000% rise in cases since mid-May.
On Monday, however, the financial capital of India had recorded 1,118 new COVID-19 cases, about 38 per cent less than the previous day, while no fresh death due to the infection was registered in the metropolis even as the active tally shot up to 11,331, the local civic body said.
Mumbai has logged four-digit coronavirus infections for the seventh day in a row though it reported 685 fewer COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours compared to 1,803 infections on Sunday which also saw two fatalities linked to the infection.
A possible fourth wave
While Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray, earlier this month, said that the state could be glaring at the fourth wave of Covid-19, an ICMR official told news agency ANI that this couldn't be the case.
Maharashtra government had made face masks mandatory in public places. It is now mandatory to be masked up in buses, trains, cinema halls, auditoriums, hospitals, colleges, schools and all crowded places.
A week ago, many Bollywood stars residing in Mumbai, had also tested Covid positive. A media report stated that filmmaker Karan Johar's 50th birthday bash played the role of a super-spreader event and has left over 50 guests infected with Covid-19.
Schools across Maharashtra will reopen on June 15th with appropriate measures but further decisions will be taken after thoroughly monitoring the situation, said state education minister, Varsha Gaikwad.
Read More | Covid-19: Over 8,000 cases in India for third straight day, 10 fatalities
