While the central and state governments have not admitted on any XE variant of Covid-19 in Mumbai, the tested samples of the patient in question have been sent to the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG), Kolkata, on April 6. The health experts opined that the XE variant is 10 per cent more infectious than Omicron and people need to adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Suresh Kakani, Additional Commissioner (Health), BMC said, “The samples were tested at our BMC-run laboratory at Kasturba hospital, where the experts found the genomic sequencing to be matching with that of XE variant. However, as per the government directives, the samples have already been sent to NIBMG for further cross verification and either way, their findings would be considered as the final, whenever it is ready.”