Srinagar: Currently, two kinds of viruses, H3N2 and COVID’s new variant XBB 1.16 are circulating fast with experts saying both of the viruses have overlapping symptoms and causing a new wave of infections in India which is also spreading in Kashmir.
While H3N2 is influenza which has fever, relentless coughing, breathlessness, and wheezing clinical signs of pneumonia as its symptoms - XBB 1.16. is a new COVID variant that has symptoms including fever, sore throat, cold, headache, body aches, and fatigue.
The new COVID variant XBB 1.16 has been detected in 12 countries and it is rapidly spreading across India.
On Saturday, India saw a 281% increase in COVID cases in just 14 days since the new variant has been spotted as it reported over 800 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day for the first time in 126 days. The number of active cases has also risen to 5,389.
So far, as many as 76 samples of COVID-19's XBB.1.16 variant have been found. According to INSACOG data, the variant has been found across Karnataka (30), Maharashtra (29), Puducherry (7) Delhi (5), Telangana (2), Gujarat (1), Himachal Pradesh (1), and Odisha (1), the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) data showed.
Meanwhile, concerned doctors told The Himalayan Post that infections are also being reported in the valley but the number hasn’t surged much.
“Testing facility is available in (Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science) SKIMS, Soura and GMC (Govt Medical College) Srinagar,” said a concerned epidemiologist.
“However, the valley hasn’t reported any surge yet,” she said.