According to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is currently the most dominant in the country while the Delta variant accounts for less than one-fifth of the coronavirus infection cases.
About 82 percent of the Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh is Omicron variant and the Delta variant accounts for 18 percent, according to BSMMU reports on Thursday.
The information was provided by BSMMU based on genome sequencing results of Covid-19 samples collected between January 9 and February 9. The genome sequencing was run on 937 samples including individuals aged 9 months to 90 years. Of them, 51% were females and 49% males.
"From January 9 to February 9 this year, out of the total admitted patients and outpatients, it was found that 82 percent consist of the Omicron variant and 18 percent of Delta variant. At this time sub-variants of Omicron BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2 have also been acknowledged. According to the World Health Organization, BA2 is more contagious of the variants," said BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed.
Last month, BSMMU updated that not Omicron, rather Delta was still the dominant strain among hospitalised patients in the country. In the one month until January 8, a research team of BSMMU conducted genome sequencing samples of 96 patients and reported only 20% of them had Omicron. Furthermore, none of the ones contracting the new variant needed to be hospitalized.
The remaining 80% of patients of that study were infected with the Delta variant and were admitted to hospitals. The last month's sequencing report further stated that even those vaccinated were found to have contracted the new variant.
BSMMU researchers had warned that the number of patients infected with Omicron variant might multiply towards the end of January.
