New Covid variant Omicron BF.7 detected in Bangladesh: IEDCR

The highly contagious new Omicron sub-variant of coronavirus, BF.7, has been detected in the country, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) sources said. 

"The presence of a new variant was confirmed in the genome sequence reports of one of the four Covid-19 infected Chinese citizens," IEDCR Director Dr Tahmina Shirin told BSS today. 

Four passengers from China tested positive for Covid-19 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport recently after the authorities geared up health screening as they fear the spread of a sub-variant of Omicron, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) sources said.

The new variant is capable of infecting many people within a shorter period, it said adding: "The new sub-variant of Omicron is four times higher transmissible and the incubation period is shorter enabling it to infect many people at a time."