Lifestyle
Archived — This article has been archived. The information may be outdated.
Omicron RF.5 found in all Tamil Nadu Covid samples
The New Indian Express··28 Jul
All 20 Covid-19 positive samples sent from Tamil Nadu for genome sequencing between January and May have turned out to be the Omicron RF.5 sub-lineage, the state health department said. Officials said the variant is not virulent and there is no reason to panic. Tamil Nadu has 15 active cases and has recorded 335 cases so far in 2026.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Residents of Tamil Nadu do not need to panic, as health officials say the RF.5 variant causes only mild illness.
- People above 65, pregnant women and those with kidney disease, cancer or weak immunity should avoid large crowded gatherings.
- Basic hygiene steps like handwashing and masking in crowded places remain the main precaution officials are recommending.
What's Happening
- All 20 Covid-19 positive samples sent from Tamil Nadu for genome sequencing this year turned out to be Omicron RF.5.
- Tamil Nadu currently has 15 active cases and has recorded 335 cases so far in 2026.
- The state now tests only high-risk individuals and pre-operative patients rather than the general population.
How One Sub-Lineage Became the Only Strain Detected
- NIV Pune's genome sequencing found the strain circulating causes mild illness and spreads slowly within communities.
- Andhra Pradesh, Singapore and parts of Southeast Asia have also reported the same RF.5 sub-lineage recently.
- Tamil Nadu recorded 1,250 cases in 2025 and 990 in 2024, with most cases picked up through routine surveillance.
all-newsdaily-roundup
