COVID Variant BF.7- Omicron Sub-Variant Symptoms, Severity, Precautions: COVID-19 is a severe infectious disease caused by a virus known as Sars-CoV-2. This virus mutates over time and has become more and more infectious. Though the COVID-19 infection is not fatal in most cases, it can lead to death in patients with severe conditions and can also cause severe complications even after the infection has passed. The COVID-19 Virus has been mutating continuously to adapt to all the changing conditions and the vaccines that have been developed against it.
The current dominant variant in India is Omicron AB5 which is a mutation of the Omicron variant. On the other hand, China has recorded a new surge in COVID cases which has been caused by a new mutation of the Omicron variant BF.7. This virus is known to be more infectious and severe than the other variants. It has also spread in India too with cases emerging in Gujarat and Odisha.
COVID Variant BF.7
The COVID Variant BF.7 is a new mutation of the Omicron Variant which is spreading rapidly in China. The BF.7 variant is more infectious than all the other available variants though it has not been linked with severe mortality in patients. This variant is expected to infect more than 60% of the population of China.
This variant has also started emerging in India with 2 cases in Gujarat and 1 in Odisha. The virus has an R0 rate of 10 to 18.6 meaning it can affect 10 to 18.6 people at a time on average. The virus has not caused a panic yet but it has been advised that people follow all the necessary precautions and wear a mask in all public places to avoid getting infected.
Because of the high R0 or Basic Reproduction Rate of the BF.7 variant, it can even transfer from asymptomatic cases to other people. The article below will provide you with all the information of the BF.7 variant, its symptoms and the precautions of the COVID BF.7 variant.
COVID-19 Variants
The COVID-19 has been evolving ever since it started infecting humans. It has evolved and grown its infectious rate so that it can affect a number of people at a time. The virus is not deadly on its own but if it affects someone with a weakened immune system then it can even become fatal. The virus has many variants but the following are the more infectious and noteworthy variants.
- Delta- The Delta variant also called the B.1.617.2 variant. It was first discovered in October 2020. It was highly infectious but it is not affecting people anymore.
- Beta- It was the first mutation of the Sars-CoV-2 virus which was discovered in May 2020 which had spread to enormous numbers and caused a lot of fatalities.
- Alpha- The Alpha variant was discovered in September 2020. It was more infectious than the Beta variant. It is not available now as the virus has mutated into new forms.
- Gamma- The Gamma variant was discovered in November 2020 and was more infectious than all the other variants and was more fatal. It has now mutated and is not in circulation anymore.
- Omicron- The Omicron variant is the latest mutation of the COVID-19 virus. It is very infectious but it is not extremely fatal. The Omicron variant is mutating on itself giving rise to sub variants instead. The latest Sub-Variant is BF.7 which is currently active in China.
New Variant of Coronavirus in India Cases
The new variant of the Omicron COVID-19 is affecting people in China and has even appeared in India. The first case of BF.7 variant was discovered in Gujarat in October 2022. Currently, there are 3 active cases of the BF.7 variant in India. Out of these 3, 2 cases are present in Gujarat and 1 in Odisha.
The BF.7 Variant is highly infectious with a basic reproduction rate of 10 to 18.6 but it has not appeared as a cause for serious concern as it has not affected a lot of people in India. The Government of India has urged the citizens to take all the necessary precautions and to wear a mask in all the public places.
It is expected that the virus will not affect a lot of people in India as the people here have hybrid immunity because of the vaccine doses and the exposure to various variants of the Coronavirus.
Omicron BF.7 Symptoms
The Omicron BF.7 variant has the same symptoms as the other variants. The infection can be mistaken for any other common infection before it is detected. The following symptoms are commonly seen in patients with BF.7 infection.
- Common Cold
- Sore Throat
- Fever
- Body Ache
- Dry or Wet Cough
- Runny Nose
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Difficulty in Breathing
- Not being able to walk without losing breath
- Not being able to lift heavy weights
COVID Omicron BF.7 Severity
The COVID Omicron BF.7 variant is highly infectious but the infection itself is not severe. The infection can resolve on its own in people with good immunity. However, in cases with decreased immunity or people suffering from other conditions can find the infection to be more deadly and even fatal.
The people who are more at risk are the ones suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, old people, babies, people undergoing long term chemotherapy tend to have a weak immune system thus increasing their susceptibility to the infection.
Hospitalisation is not required in most cases of the BF.7 variant but it spreads at an alarmingly fast rate. It can lead to the development of severe complications in people who are already suffering from these conditions. The BF.7 variant can also lead to the development of post infection syndromes in these cases.
Omicron BF.7 Precautions
The Omicron BF.7 variant does not require any special precautions. The people just need to follow the precautions given below to protect themselves from the infection.
- Always wear a well fitted mask when going to public places.
- Get your vaccination doses and the booster doses.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Never touch your eyes, nose and mouth without washing your hands.
- Look out for the symptoms of infection and seek medical attention immediately if you have any of the symptoms.
- Avoid crowds and keep a physical distance from other people.
- Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or your elbow every time you sneeze or cough.
- Avoid close contact with people who are infected with the BF.7 variant.
FAQs Related to COVID Variant BF.7
The new variant of COVID-19 is BF.7 which is a sub variant of Omicron. It is spreading in China and it has even appeared in India too.
You can prevent the BF.7 infection by following all the precautions mentioned above. Report any symptoms to the medical authorities if you notice them.
The COVID BF.7 variant is not deadly in most people but it can be deadly to people already suffering from other debilitating conditions.
Very informative 👏.
I having Dry calf, little bit of body aches, some time ruie nose.
No feaver
I already taking treatment from 3dayd