As of Thursday, there were just 15 active Covid-19 cases in Nepal. But three cases of the Omicron subvariant BF.7—a newly discovered variant—have been found in China and India. The Omicron variant BA.5, of which BF.7 is a sub-lineage, has the strongest ability to cause infection since it’s highly contagious, incubates quickly, and has the ability to infect even those who have received vaccinations.

International media reports that the extremely contagious Omicron strain, primarily BF.7, which is the major variant circulating in Beijing, is currently affecting other cities of China as well. The US, the UK, as well as European countries including Belgium, Germany, France, and Denmark have already reported the new variant. The BF.7, which is believed to be the reason behind the rise of Covid cases in China, is a mutation of the BA.4/5.

Except for China, practically everywhere else it evolved, the new variant has remained steady. No variant, apart from the Delta variant,  has been found to have a high mortality rate, despite the fact that several variants have some capacity to resist immunity acquired from previous infections or vaccinations.  A recent study indicated that BF.7 could infect even those who have received a third booster dose of the vaccine.

With the exception of China, no scientific investigation has found that it has raised hospitalization rates or overstretched the healthcare system. Dr Sher Bahadur Pun of Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku, Kathmandu says Nepal needs to keep a close watch on how things progress in India. “There is no need to panic but we must remain vigilant,” he says. 

A press release by the Ministry of Health and Population said though the BF.7 variant hasn’t been seen in Nepal, many other variants have been found in samples collected from different places of the country in the past month. The ministry has urged the public to wear masks, maintain social distance, and wash hands properly.