BF.7 Omicron: All you need to know about the new Covid variant that's behind China’s latest outbreak

The latest Covid-19 surge in China is being majorly driven by BF.7 Omicron sub-variant. China is facing a massive crisis after it eased its Covid-19 restrictions earlier this month. The hospitals, emergency wards are flooded with patients, while crematoriums and funeral homes are dealing with long queues as dead bodies remain piled up due to the sudden surge. As per news reports, BF.7 started spreading from October, and cases were reported in the United States and several European countries.

The latest surge in China could be because of the relaxation of its 'Zero Covid' policy following a wave of intense nationwide protests by people. Experts and projections have predicted that the situation could get severe in the coming winter months.

BF.7 sub-variant vs Delta variant

The new subvariant BF.7, is a sub-lineage of the BA.5 Omicron variant, which is reportedly the most infectious variant known so far since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 in 2020. The latest variant is believed to be highly infectious as compared to the Delta BA.1, BA.2 and BA.5 variants detected previously, spreads quicker than expected, and can affect those who are already vaccinated. It also has a higher capacity to cause reinfection or infect even those vaccinated, a PTI report said.

As per experts, the variant can multiply and infect 10 and 18.6 people in one go if an infected person is exposed to the non-infected. Its reproduction number, or RO, is 10 to 18.6, whereas Delta’s RO was 5 or 6.

Medicine experts in China have said the variant can be highly infectious and can spread very fast. "Omicron BF.7 has more immune escape capability, a shorter incubation period, and faster transmission rate than other variants found so far," said Li Tongzeng, who works at Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing told the state-run newspaper, The Global Times.

Li added that the symptoms caused by BF.7 are very similar to other Omicron sub-variants. Patients may have fever, cough, sore throat, and other symptoms, with some symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, and others. But it can spread very quickly.

On Wednesday, the Union Health ministry in a note said: "A new and highly transmissible BF.7 strain of the Omicron variant has been found to be behind a wider surge of COVID infections in China."

China’s current scenario

While ground reports are claiming that hospitals in China are overflowing with patients, the Chinese government has said no one died of Covid in the last two days under its new counting method.

China has said that its death count would include only those who die from respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia. So, officially, there were only five Covid deaths on Tuesday, two on Monday - and none in the previous two weeks. The state has stopped mass testing and is only recording positive cases at hospitals and fever clinics where the patient has Covid symptoms. Asymptomatic cases and positive results from home-testing kits are not recorded in the data.

 The latest counting method is against World Health Organization's (WHO) guidance, and therefore, the death toll reported is way the actual state of affairs.

WHO’s support

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, The head of the World Health Organization, has expressed his concern the unprecedented wave of Covid cases in China. It has urged Beijing to speed up its vaccination drive of the most vulnerable.

"WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease," Ghebreyesus said.

He added: “WHO is supporting China to focus its efforts on vaccinating people at the highest risk across the country, and we continue to offer our support for clinical care and protecting its health system.”

Also read: China Covid variant reaches India: 4 cases of BF.7 reported so far; 10 points