A patient infected with Omicron sub-variant BF.7 has been found in Bangladesh, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) confirmed on Sunday. He is one of the four returnees from China who tested positive for Covid-19 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Monday and were then kept in isolation, said Prof. Dr Najmul Islam, director (diseases control) of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Dr Nazmul said they are not worried about detection of Omicron sub-variant case in the country. “We don’t anyone to get panicked as our positivity rate is now below one percent. But we have taken the matter seriously and trying to prevent its spread,” he said.   Read more: Amid surge in Omicron BF.7 in countries, DGHS asks for necessary steps at airports and other entry points Replying to a question, he said that they are closely monitoring the situation and testing those regularly who are returning to the country from the affected countries.  Those who tested positive for Covid-19 are being sent to the isolation centers, he added. In the wake of the surge in the new sub-variant of Covid-19 infections, Omicron BF.7, in different countries including China and India, the government has asked all to take necessary steps in maintaining health guidelines in all airports, land ports and river ports across the country. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) issued a notice in this regard on December 26. Read more: Four Chinese citizens sent to isolation from airport after testing Covid positive The emergence of new sub-variant Omicron BF.7 is most likely responsible for the current surge of COVID-19 infection in China, India and other countries which is more transmissible, said DGHS. To contain the spread of Covid, DGHS has instructed the authorities concerned to strengthen surveillance and screening of people coming to Bangladesh from countries including China, India, Japan, South Korea, USA, France, Brazil and Germany.

Two Bangladeshis have been infected with a new sub-variant of the Omicron variant of Covid-19, said Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) researchers on Tuesday. A team of researchers at JUST Genome Center detected the sub-variant named BA.4/5 through a partial (spike protein) genome sequence of the virus collected from two infected people in Jashore, said a press release signed by Md Abdur Rashid, assistant director (Public relations) of JUST. Also read:Covid-19: Positivity rate rises to 11.03%, One more dies According to the research team, the two patients were men, aged 44 and 79 years old. One infected person received a booster dose against Covid while another vaccinated with two doses. One of the infected is undergoing treatment at the hospital and the other is at home. They have some mild symptoms including fever, sore throat and cough. Researchers believe that both of them have been infected locally. The research team further said that this new sub-variant has a mutation similar to Omicron in the spike protein. This sub-variant was detected in southern India in late May. This is responsible for the fifth wave of Covid infection in South Africa and the recent third wave in India, believes the scientists. People who have been vaccinated are also being infected by this sub-variant. In the future, this sub-variant may cause more infections than any other sub-variant, they said. Also read: Govt hopes FY2023 will be final year of Covid pandemic: Document JUST vice chancellor and director of the genome center Dr Md Anwar Hossain said this sub-variant is able to evade the human immune system easily. There is no substitute for strict adherence to health protocols, including wearing masks.   “It will be possible to know more by sequencing the complete genome of this sub-variant soon,” he added. This new sub-variant was detected under the leadership of Iqbal Kabir, chairman of the Department of Microbiology and associate director of the Genome Center.

The coronavirus mutant that is now dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its omicron predecessors, is adept at escaping immunity and might possibly cause more serious disease. Why? Because it combines properties of both omicron and delta, the nation's dominant variant in the middle of last year. A genetic trait that harkens back to the pandemic's past, known as a “delta mutation," appears to allow the virus "to escape pre-existing immunity from vaccination and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the omicron wave," said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. That's because the original omicron strain that swept the world didn’t have the mutation. The omicron “subvariant” gaining ground in the U.S. — known as BA.2.12.1 and responsible for 58% of U.S. COVID-19 cases last week — isn't the only one affected by the delta mutation. The genetic change is also present in the omicron relatives that together dominate in South Africa, known as BA.4 and BA.5. Those have exactly the same mutation as delta, while BA.2.12.1 has one that's nearly identical. Also read: WHO: COVID-19 cases mostly drop, except for the Americas This genetic change is bad news for people who caught the original omicron and thought that made them unlikely to get COVID-19 again soon. Although most people don't know for sure which variant caused their illness, the original omicron caused a giant wave of cases late last year and early this year. Long said lab data suggests a prior infection with the original omicron is not very protective against reinfection with the new mutants, though the true risk of being reinfected no matter the variant is unique to every person and situation. In a twist, however, those sickened by delta previously may have some extra armor to ward off the new mutants. A study released before it was reviewed by other scientists, by researchers at Ohio State University, found that COVID patients in intensive care with delta infections induced antibodies that were better at neutralizing the new mutants than patients who caught the original omicron. “The omicron infection antibody does not appear to protect well against the subvariants compared to delta,” said Dr. Shan-Lu Liu, a study author who co-directs the viruses and emerging pathogens program at Ohio State. But Liu said the level of protection a delta infection provides depends partly on how long ago someone was ill. That's because immunity wanes over time. People who got sick with delta shouldn’t think of themselves as invulnerable to the new subvariants, especially if they’re unvaccinated, Long said. “I wouldn’t say anyone is safe." Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 28 new cases, no death One bright spot? Booster shots can provide strong protection against the new mutants, Liu said. In general, vaccines and prior infection can protect people from the worst outcomes of COVID-19. At this point, scientists say, it's too early to know if the new mutant gaining ground in the U.S. will cause a significant uptick in new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Scientists are still trying to figure out how virulent these new mutants are. Long said he hasn’t seen anything that answers that question for him, but Liu said emerging data points toward more serious illness. Liu said the subvariants have properties suggesting they spread more efficiently cell-to-cell. The virus "just hides in the cell and spreads through cell-to-cell contact,” Liu said. “That's more scary because the virus does not come out for the antibody to work.” Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute, said the new mutants certainly don’t appear less virulent than previous versions of omicron, and whether they are more virulent or not "will become clear in the months ahead.” In the meantime, scientists expect the latest powerhouse mutants to spread quickly, since they are more transmissible than their predecessors. Though home testing makes it tough to track all U.S. COVID cases, data from Johns Hopkins University shows that cases are averaging nearly 107,000 a day, up from about 87,000 two weeks ago. And new hospital admissions of patients with COVID-19 have been trending upwards since around mid-April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “I’m hopeful that we don’t see a similar increase in hospitalizations that we’ve had in prior waves,” Long said. “But with COVID, any time you have lots of people being infected, it’s just a numbers game. Some of those people are going to be severe. Some of those people are going to need hospitalization. Some of them, unfortunately, are going to pass away.”

A new strain of Omicron known as XE is causing outbreaks in the United Kingdom, and a few instances have been reported elsewhere in the globe. The Omicron XE strain was discovered in a lady in her 30s who came from the United States to Narita International Airport on March 26 2022. According to Japan's health ministry, the lady, whose country was not immediately known, was asymptomatic. This page summarizes what is known about the most recent Corona strain. What is the Omicron XE variant?  The XE variety is a recombinant virus, which means that it combines elements of two separate strains of Omicron, in this instance, BA.1, the original strain of Omicron, and BA.2, dubbed "stealth omicron." According to health professionals, recombinant variations are not unusual. Recombinant variations are not totally uncommon, especially when many variants are in circulation, as numerous have been detected so far in the pandemic. As is the case with different other types of variants, the majority will perish rather fast. Read How to Use Ridesharing Vehicles Safely during COVID19 Pandemic As per the official website of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's, epidemiologists in the United States are not actively monitoring XE. It has not been recognized as a variant of interest or concern. According to an early study, XE may be the fastest-spreading strain to date, although more research is needed to confirm the variant's actual contagiousness. The UK Health Security Agency showed in late March that XE has a growth rate of 9.8 percent higher than BA.2. The World Health Organization has issued a similar statement, citing estimates that XE is 10% more contagious than BA.2. However, the agency warned that such conclusions need validation. Read Pandemic, Remote Working & Procrastination: How to avoid procrastination when working from home? What are the Symptoms of Omicron XE? As the sub variation is new, the situation may alter, but it is not presently believed that XE causes additional symptoms. The most often reported symptoms of the original Omicron strain are similar to those of a cold, specially in those who have been vaccinated. According to NHS.uk, further indicators of Covid-19 to watch for include shortness of breath, fatigue, an aching body, a headache, a sore throat, a clogged or runny nose, lack of appetite, diarrhea, feeling nauseous, or being sick. In Which Places Omicron XE Variant Has Spread So Far The first case of XE was discovered in the United Kingdom on January 19, 2022. According to the UKHSA, moreover, 600 instances of XE have been found there to date—less than 1% of all sequenced cases. That is a fraction of the rate of cases caused by BA.2, which is currently the predominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom and around the world. Read How to Shop and Disinfect Groceries Safely during COVID19 Pandemic Additionally, XE has been discovered in India and Thailand. According to Bloomberg, one incident was reported on April 6 in Mumbai, while on April 4, the Center for Medical Genomics in Bangkok reported one recent case of XE. Should We Be Worried About the Omicron XE Variant Early estimates indicate that XE may be more transmissible than previous strains since it has so far grown at a somewhat faster pace than its predecessor. According to UKHSA statistics, XE has a growth rate of 9.8 percent greater than BA.2, but the World Health Organization has previously estimated the number at 10%. However, researchers predict that its severity will decline as it spreads more readily. XE has not been designated as a variation of concern so far. Read Are Smokers More Vulnerable to COVID19? XE seems to be following the same path as BA.2, with increasing transmissibility to BA.1 but less severe symptoms," Jennifer Horney, an epidemiology professor at the University of Delaware, stated. "It is, in a sense, the devil we know. It is basically a reshuffle of the same deck of cards," noted Mark Cameron, an associate professor in Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine. XE has a spike and structural proteins from the same viral family as Omicron, implying that it should act similarly to Omicron in the past. As a result, existing vaccinations and immunity should give some protection against infection. Read Post Lockdown Safety Precautions to Prevent COVID19 Contraction "Recombinants that have both the spike and structural proteins from a single virus (such as XE or XF) are very likely to behave similarly to [their] mother virus," Tom Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London's Department of Infectious Disease, stated in a mid-March Twitter thread. XF refers to another recombinant that was discovered in the United Kingdom in February. Other recombinants comprising spike and structural proteins from other viral families, on the other hand, continue to arise. This includes the newly identified XD subvariant in Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark, which comprises delta structural proteins and omicron spike proteins, characterized by Peacock as "a bit more worrying." As such, any new emergencies must be properly examined, particularly during their first stages, to ensure they do not develop into something more problematic. Read How to Use ACs (Air Conditioners) Safely Amid COVID19 Pandemic? "The virus remains capable of evolving, recombining, and forming a new branch of its family tree," Cameron said. "The critical finding is that for these variations and subvariants, the risk of hospital readmission appears to be lower on average in areas with higher vaccination rates, implying that vaccination, including a third dose, should be efficient in decreasing risk for severe disease," added Stephanie Silvera, professor of public health at Montclair State University. What is Still not Known Yet? There is insufficient evidence to determine if XE will spread faster or produce more severe sickness than previous SARS-CoV-2 genotypes. "There is scant data at this time to form judgments regarding transmissibility, severity, or vaccination efficacy," Susan Hopkins, the UKHSA's chief medical adviser, said in a statement. Read Coronavirus: How to Disinfect Your Car to Prevent COVID19 Contraction However, some information may be deduced from the two strains that make it. It has long been shown that vaccinations protect against symptomatic sickness caused by BA.1 and BA.2. It is to believe vaccination techniques will provide protection against symptomatic sickness caused by XE. Another indication is that BA.1 and BA.2 are both capable of evading some monoclonal antibody therapy. As a result, such medications are unlikely to be as effective against XE. Additionally, it’s also been known that the other treatments, which are mostly utilized in the outpatient setting—Paxlovid and molnupiravir—should retain effectiveness against the XE strain based on their mechanism of action. Conclusion Because the WHO is monitoring XE under the omicron umbrella, it does not yet have its own Greek letter moniker. According to the organization, XE is classified as an omicron variation unless substantial changes in disease transmission and features, including severity, are identified. The organization urges individuals globally to exercise additional vigilance. Read Coronavirus and Insomnia: How to Sleep Well during COVID19 Pandemic If proper measures are not taken the new variant can spread to other countries of the world and affect millions of people. However, it is not the right time to predict the impact of this new Coronavirus. On the whole, to stay safe from the Covid-19's new strain Omicron XE we have to maintain hygiene and social distance.

New Zealand will remove many of its COVID-19 pandemic mandates over the next two weeks as an outbreak of the omicron variant begins to wane. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Wednesday that people will no longer need to be vaccinated to visit places like retail stores, restaurants and bars from April 4. Gone, too, will be a requirement to scan QR barcodes at those venues. Read:Fishing boat sinks in New Zealand storm, 4 dead, 1 missing A vaccine mandate will be scrapped for some workers — including teachers, police officers and waiters — though it will continue for health care and aged-care workers, border workers and corrections officers. Also gone from Friday is a limit on outdoor crowds of 100. That will allow some concerts and big sporting events like marathons to resume. An indoor limit of 100 people will be raised to 200 people, and could later be removed altogether. Remaining in place is a requirement that people wear masks in many enclosed spaces, including in stores, on public transport and, for children aged 8 and over, in school classrooms. Ardern said the government's actions over the past two years to limit the spread of the coronavirus had saved thousands of lives and helped the economy. “But while we’ve been successful, it’s also been bloody hard," Ardern said. “Everyone has had to give up something to make this work, and some more than others,” she said. The changes mean that many restrictions will be removed before tourists start arriving back in New Zealand. Earlier this month, the government announced that Australian tourists would be welcomed back from April 12 and tourists from many other countries, including the U.S., Canada, and Britain, from May 1. International tourism used to account for about 20% of New Zealand’s foreign income and more than 5% of GDP but evaporated after the South Pacific nation imposed some of the world's strictest border controls after the pandemic began. Read: New Zealand to end quarantine stays and reopen its borders New Zealand continues to see some of its highest rates of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations since the pandemic began, with an average 17,000 new infections being reported each day. But Ardern said modeling shows that the biggest city of Auckland is already significantly past the peak of its omicron outbreak and the rest of the country will soon follow. Health experts warned that some countries which had dropped restrictions as omicron faded were now experiencing another surge of cases.

Covid-19 may no longer be a serious health threat to Bangladesh as the country has already achieved herd immunity against the virus with the widespread infections of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, say experts. Though there is no credible study and serosurvilnce report here to know about the immunity developed among people across Bangladesh, the medical analysts think the virulent Omicron acted like a natural vaccine infecting most population in the country, helping build the herd immunity. Talking to UNB, leading public health experts Dr Bijon Kumar Sil, Prof Muzaherul Huq and Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed said any new variant of the virus can still infect people having the immunity gained through the Omicron infections, but it may not cause severe illness. They, however, warned that any type of Covid variant can be dangerous for only the immunocompromised people and those who have comorbidities. Herd immunity is a concept based on the body's immune resistance to the spread of a deadly disease (bacterial or viral infection) and it can be obtained in two ways -- naturally through infections of the majority of the population and artificially through vaccinating around 80 percent of the population of a country. High-quality immunity Dr Bijon Kumar Sil, head of the microbiology department at Gono University, said the way Omicron has spread across Bangladesh, leaving behind a high-quality natural immunity among people in the country. “So, I think Covid may not cause serious problems in the country in the days to come.” He believes Bangladesh has already attained herd immunity like many other countries in the world. Read: Dhaka, Abu Dhabi discuss bilateral issues “It’s very good quality herd immunity. Natural herd immunity is much better than vaccine-induced immunity. The American CDC is also now recognising the natural immunity gained through Omicron infection is as good as double or triple vaccinations,” the expert said. He said not only Bangladesh but also many countries in the world are going to attain natural herd immunity because of massive exposure to the Omicron variant. “As Omicron has spread rapidly all over the world, hardly anyone will remain without a natural antibody with the ebbing of its wave.” Dr Bijon thinks over 80 percent of people in Bangladesh have already been infected by Omicron, while over 70 percent have already received the first dose of vaccines. “So, the new variant in the future is unlikely to cause any big problem in terms of severity of the illness.” Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director (disease control) of DGHS, said Omicron worked as a natural vaccine as most people of the country were infected by it. “So, we’ve already gained the herd immunity against the Covid virus.” He said the new normal life will not be affected and people may not suffer much from the Covid if any new variant does not come that can dodge the existing immunity of people. Going to be like flu Dr Bijon is hopeful that Covid-19 will become like a flu in the near future, but it will not be eliminated from the world. “If a new variant emerges in the coming days, it may infect people with symptoms like many other remaining flues.” He, however, said new variants are likely to be a matter of concern for the people who are immunocompromised.

The overall number of Covid cases has surged past 431 million as Omicron infections keep rising across the globe. According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 431,186,116 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,927,226 Friday morning. The US has recorded 78,796,234 cases so far and 944,756 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows. India's Covid-19 tally rose to 42,893,585 on Thursday, as 12,406 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry's data. Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Positivity rate declines further, 10 more die Besides, 304 deaths due to the pandemic since Wednesday morning took the total death toll to 513,258. Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 28,580,995 cases as of Thursday, while its Covid death toll rose to 647,486. Situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh logged 10 more Covid-linked deaths with 1,516 fresh cases in 24 hours till Thursday morning as the positivity rate and the number of deaths keep declining. The daily positivity rate slightly declined to 5.53% from Wednesday’s 5.58% after testing 27,350 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). On Wednesday, Bangladesh reported five more Covid-linked deaths with 1,298 fresh cases. The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 29,005 while the caseload to 19,39,651. Among the new deceased, eight were men and two were women. Of the deaths, three each were reported from Dhaka and Chattogram divisions, two from Rangpur and one each from Khulna and Sylhet divisions. Also read: Learning from Covid, Modi govt plans big AI push for disease surveillance across India Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.50%. However, the recovery rate rose to 92.09% with the recovery of 6,459 more patients during the 24-hour period.

The coronavirus mutant widely known as “stealth omicron” is now causing more than a third of new omicron cases around the world, but scientists still don’t know how it could affect the future of the pandemic. Researchers are slowly revealing clues about the strain, a descendant of omicron known as BA.2, while warily watching it become ever more prevalent. “We’re all keeping an eye on BA.2 just because it has done particularly well in some parts of the world,” including parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. This week, a technical advisory group for the World Health Organization advised public health authorities to monitor it as a distinct omicron strain. Early research suggests it spreads faster than the original omicron and in rare cases can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection. There’s mixed research on whether it causes more severe disease, but vaccines appear just as effective against it. Overall cases are falling in some places where the variant is becoming more prevalent, offering some hope that the latest troubling version of the virus won’t send cases skyrocketing again as experts try to learn more. WORLDWIDE SPREAD BA.2 has been found in more than 80 countries and all 50 U.S. states. In a recent report, the WHO said BA.2 was dominant in 18 countries and it represented about 36% of sequenced omicron cases submitted in the most recent week to a publicly available international database where scientists share coronavirus data. That’s up from 19% two weeks earlier. Read: Why Putin uses WWII to justify attacks in Ukraine In the United States, BA.2 caused about 4% of COVID cases during the week ending Feb. 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The percentage was lower in some regions and higher in others – hitting about 7% in New England. WHAT’S KNOWN BA.2 has lots of mutations. It’s been dubbed “stealth” because it lacks a genetic quirk of the original omicron that allowed health officials to rapidly differentiate it from delta using a certain PCR test. So while the test can detect a BA.2 infection, it looks like a delta infection. Initial research suggests BA.2 is more transmissible than the original omicron — about 30% more contagious by one estimate. But vaccines can protect people from getting sick. Scientists in the United Kingdom found that they provide the same level of protection from both types of omicron. A bout with the original omicron also seems to provide “strong protection” against reinfection with BA.2, according to early studies cited by the WHO. ADVERTISEMENT But getting BA.2 after infection from the original omicron strain is possible, says new research out of Denmark. Study authors noted 187 total reinfections, including 47 with BA.2 occurring shortly after a bout the original strain, mostly in young, unvaccinated people with mild disease. They concluded that such reinfections do occur but are rare. Like other early studies on BA.2, this one has been posted online but not reviewed by independent scientists. DOES BA.2 MAKE YOU SICKER? A Japanese lab study suggests that it could, based on experiments with hamsters. Researchers concluded that the risk for global health “is potentially higher” from BA.2 and proposed that it be given its own Greek letter – a designation for globally significant “variants of concern.” WHO’s technical group said BA.2 should remain under the omicron umbrella. Though the severity experiments were conducted in animals, the study is “not something to discount,” said Dr. Eric Topol of Scripps Research Translational Institute. “We should keep an open mind and keep assessing this.” But scientists are finding something different when they look at people. An initial analysis in Denmark showed no differences in hospitalizations for BA.2 compared with the original omicron, which tends to generally cause milder disease than the delta variant. More recently, researchers in South Africa found much the same: a similar risk of hospitalization and severe disease with the original omicron variant and BA.2. “We always have to interpret studies in animals with caution,” Long said. “I place more weight in studies of actual patients and what they’re experiencing.” HOW WILL BA.2 AFFECT THE PANDEMIC? No one knows for sure. COVID-19 cases are dropping globally, including in some of the places where BA.2 is prevalent. “The timing of the upswings and downswings in cases remains unclear,” said Louis Mansky, director of the Institute for Molecular Virology at the University of Minnesota. It’s difficult for researchers to predict how much BA.2 will change caseloads because it is spreading in communities with varying levels of protection from vaccines and prior infections. Some experts believe BA.2 is unlikely to spark new surges but may slow COVID declines in some places. WHO officials stress that the pandemic isn’t over and urge countries to remain vigilant. Doctors said individuals should do the same and remember that vaccines and boosters offer excellent protection against the worst effects of COVID-19, no matter the variant. “For people who aren’t boosted, please get boosted. For people who aren’t vaccinated, it’s never too late,” Long said. “Your best defense against COVID is still the vaccine.”

The overall number of Covid cases has now surged past 421 million as Omicron infections keep rising across the globe. According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the total case count mounted to 421,348,262 while the death toll from the virus reached 5,872, 338 Saturday morning. The US has recorded 78,372,010 cases so far and 933,808 people have died from the virus in the country, the university data shows. India's Covid-19 tally rose to 42,780,235 Friday, as 25,920 new cases were registered in 24 hours across the country, as per the federal health ministry's latest data. Besides, 492 deaths due to the pandemic since Thursday morning took the total death toll to 510,905. Meanwhile, Brazil, which has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January last year, registered 28,072,238 cases as of Friday, while its Covid death toll rose to 643,340. Situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh logged 24 more Covid-linked deaths with 2,584 fresh cases in 24 hours till Friday morning amid a downtrend trend in new infections. The daily positivity rate declined to 9.31% from Thursday’s 10.24% after testing 27,692 samples during the period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The fresh numbers took the country’s total fatalities to 28,931 while the caseload mounted to 19,29,158. Read: WHO: New COVID cases drop by 19% globally, deaths stable Meanwhile, the mortality rate remained static at 1.50%. However, the recovery rate slightly rose to 90.08% with the recovery of 9,988 more patients during the 24-hour period. On January 28, Bangladesh logged its earlier highest daily positivity rate at 33.37% reporting 15,440 cases and 20 deaths. On December 9 last year, Bangladesh again logged zero Covid-related death after nearly three weeks as the pandemic was apparently showing signs of easing. Read: Covid-19: Fatalities, cases drop in Bangladesh The country reported first zero Covid-related death in a single day on November 20 last year along with 178 infections since the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh in March 2020. Besides, the country registered the highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year, while the highest number of daily fatalities was 264 on August 10 last year.

The transmission of the highly contagious Omicron variant of coronavirus may subside at the end of this month, experts said, hoping that it may leave behind an extremely high level of immunity. They also said the widespread Omicron infection may help Bangladesh and most countries in the world finally attain the much-talked-about herd immunity nearly two years into the Covid pandemic. Talking to UNB, leading public health experts Dr Bijon Kumar Sil, Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed and Dr MH Chowdhury Lenin said the immunity gained through the Omicron infections may work as a shield against future same type of variants of the coronavirus for some time. But they are not sure about how durable this immunity would be or how well it would work if a different type of Covid strain emerges in the days to come. Also read: 80% Covid patients in Bangladesh of Delta variant: BSMMU survey Blessing in disguise Noted microbiologist Dr Bijon Kumar Sil, head of microbiology department at Gono University, said the antibody produced by Omicron can neutralise Delta and all other previous strains of Covid-19. “But the antibody created by the Delta variant can’t neutralise Omicron. “So, the Omicron is producing a very strong antibody which may resist the future variants of the virus, except any unusual one.   He said not only Bangladesh but also almost all countries in the world are going to attain natural herd immunity because of massive exposure to the omicron variant. Dr Bijon said over 40 percent of people across the world had natural or artificial antibodies before the emergence of Omicron. “As Omicron has spread rapidly all over the world, hardly anyone will remain without a natural antibody with the ebbing of its wave. So, the new variant that may arrive in the future is unlikely to spread fast.” "Most people in our country have already got infected by Omicron and the rest will also contract it in the days to come. So, we’re reaching towards the natural herd immunity against the virus. We could not do it by vaccines as we can’t vaccinate underage children,” the expert said. He describes Omicron as a blessing in disguise as he thinks it may help get rid of the deadly coronavirus through the immunity the variant is leaving behind. Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, former director of Communicable Disease Control (CDC) at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said the virus that spreads fast also ends quickly. “This is happening in the case of Omicron. If any unusual thing doesn’t happen, the community transmission of Omicron will stop by this month. It means we’ll achieve herd immunity by this time.” Once herd immunity is attained, he said if a similar variant emerges in the future, it will not spread quickly. “But it’s difficult to say how long this antibody will work. It is also difficult to say no such variant will come that can dodge the antibody developed through the previous variants and the vaccines.” Also read: 75% of target population fully vaccinated : Health Minister A natural vaccine Bijon Kumar Sil said there is vaccine inequality all over the world. “Many countries still couldn’t provide their majority population with vaccines. But Omicron is going to remove this inequality naturally.” He said the antibody being developed among people through widespread infection is precious. “It’s a very strong immunity against any variant that may come in the future. It’ll work like vaccines and reduce the severity. It may not stop infection like the vaccines, but it’ll protect people by reducing the severity of illness.” The experts also said though Omicron is a relatively weaker strain, it induces a powerful natural "herd immunity" similar to what a vaccine does. He, however, said vaccination is still necessary to create a very strong resistance against Covid. “If people who have the natural antibodies are given vaccines, their immune system will be boosted to keep them protected from the virus for a longer period.” From pandemic to endemic Bijon Kumar Sil said the massive Omicron infections are signaling the beginning of Covid’s transition to become endemic. “Omicron can hasten the transition from pandemic to endemic. It could end up being a seasonal variant. It means Covid won’t go away completely in near future, but the virus will keep circulating in some parts of the world on a small scale,” he said. Dr Bijon said the Omicron wave will end across the world by September and Covid may be declared as endemic by some countries by next year if any unusual variant does not emerge that can dodge the existing antibodies. He said most people, including babies, are also getting infected with Omicron. “But those who will be born after one or two months won’t have antibodies as the virus transmission will slow down. If these babies are not vaccinated, they’ll be vulnerable to the virus.” Dr Be-Nazir said, “We can say if any different variant doesn’t emerge and the Omicron-induced antibodies work well, Covid will gradually weaken and become a seasonal virus.” He also said Covid will continue to transmit sporadically in different places of the world at a different time like Influenza. “So, we can say Omicron may be the beginning of the end of the Covid pandemic, but we still remain cautious about it.”