India, July 29 -- Twelve COVID-19 cases were reported in Andhra Pradesh over the past month, with genomic sequencing showing RF.5 Omicron sub-lineage in samples from Kadapa district, a variant not classified by the WHO as a variant of concern, Union Health Minister J P Nadda told Parliament on Tuesday. Nadda said the Andhra Pradesh government reported 12 COVID-19 cases between June 24 and July 26, 2026. He said three deaths were reported from YSR Kadapa district, with all the patients having co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease and chronic alcoholism. He said genomic sequencing by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, found that COVID-19 positive samples from Kadapa district predominantly showed circulation of the RF.5 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.
"This sub-lineage is not classified by the WHO as a variant of concern (VOC), Variant of Interest (VOI), or Variant Under Monitoring (VUM)," he told the Rajya Sabha. The minister said the Union Health Ministry continues to closely monitor Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), including COVID-19, through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme-Integrated Health Information Platform (IDSP-IHIP). He said any increasing trend in such diseases is investigated by Rapid Response Teams (RRTs). The Indian Council of Medical Research's Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) network also conducts laboratory-based surveillance for major respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, to monitor laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases along with other respiratory infections, he added. Nadda said health is a state subject and the Centre provides technical and financial support to states and Union territories to strengthen preparedness and response capacities against epidemic-prone communicable diseases.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.