New Omicron variants not causing significant rise in hospitalisations: Experts

The department had also cautioned that coronavirus cases could rise during winter and the festive season, citing new variants which have greater immune evasive ability

The new variants of Omicron, XXB and BQ.1, have not led to any significant rise in coronavirus infections and hospitalisations in Maharashtra, experts have said.

The symptoms caused by these strains of the virus are mild, they noted.

Dr. Anita Mathew, Infectious Disease Specialist at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, said many of the new patients are asymptomatic.

"Many people have incidental COVID-19. In other words, they are visiting the hospital for other health conditions and test positive for the coronavirus infection," Dr. Mathew told PTI.

Symptoms such as the loss of smell and taste, observed prominently in earlier infections, have not been noticed in many patients. Many of them report cold and cough, which is why there isn't a lot of testing or self-isolation, Dr. Mathew added.

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Dr. Mathew, however, stressed that vaccination against coronavirus was still important.