India well-equipped to swiftly detect, contain new COVID variants: Ex-ICMR DG Bhargava

New Delhi [India], June 10 : The emergence of the XFG variant is part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus's natural evolution, said Prof. (Dr) Balram Bhargava, former of Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and former Secretary of the Department of Health Research. He added that India is well-positioned to detect and contain emerging variants swiftly due to the widespread deployment of rapid molecular diagnostic platforms such as Truenat.
As of Tuesday morning, India has reported 6,815 active COVID-19 cases. According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), 163 cases of the new COVID-19 variant XFG have recently been detected across the country.
Dr Bhargava said that XFG variant carries mutations that may enhance its ability to bind to human cells and bypass immune defences.
"Early reports suggest that the variant has high immune escape potential, but there is no current evidence to indicate increased severity. However, as the virus adapts, India's diagnostic infrastructure has adapted since the very first wave. RT-PCR remains the cornerstone of COVID-19 diagnostics, and the widespread deployment of rapid molecular platforms like Truenat puts India in a strong position to detect and contain emerging variants swiftly--even in remote and resource-limited settings," he said.
Dr Bhargava, who played a key role in India's pandemic response, stressed the continued importance of point-of-care testing in identifying emerging variants such as XFG.
"Vigilance is critical now, and not panic. As we've done in the past, we should continue testing when symptomatic, masking in crowded spaces, and staying up to date with vaccinations," he said.