By Sushil Kutty
Ever since Covid happened to humans, the World Health Organization has disappointed a lot of people. First it seemed to let off China with a light rap on the wrist. Then, it floundered in the number-crunching. So much so, it gave to our own high-flying Prime Minister Narendra Modi the blushes when it appeared to agree with blistering Modi-baiters that India's actual Covid death figures were probably 40 or 50 times more than the figure doled out by the Modi government's statisticians. Now, after the feeling settled that Covid wouldn't strike again, that the Omicron variant was the last of new coronavirus, the WHO says there is a new coronavirus kid on the block, christened “Arcturus” or XBB.1.16.
The thing to note for Indians is that Arcturus must be the variant behind the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in India with Mumbai/Maharashtra leading the charge. The WHO says this variant is the “one to watch”, adding, quite tartly, if that may be said, “everyone is tired and has given up” on Covid! What the heck, why should the world's premier health organization speak in riddles, haven't we had enough of them when speaking of Covid, especially the Chinese variant riddles?
Suffice to say, the new coronavirus has not had enough of human beings. India should worry. Reports say India is the only country where reported cases of Covid-19 are surging when the virus is taking a vacation in the rest of the world! What did India do or India not do to deserve this development? That we haven't heard much from the Modi government can be excused. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet colleagues have been too busy in combating the onslaughts from Rahul Gandhi and the rest of the Opposition to bother about Covid-19.
Also the elections. First the northeast elections and now Karnataka painting the electoral horizon red, the BJP-led Centre cannot be bothered with “Arcturus”, which by the way, when it is not a virus, is the fourth brightest star in the sky, an orange giant, and the brightest in the constellation called ‘Bootes'.
The bad news is, Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 technical lead for the WHO said, this variant's spike protein can make the variant more infectious, cause a more severe disease. Therefore, the “one to watch”. Okay, that is the warning, now hanging in the air. XBB.1.6's precursor XBB.1.5 was supposed to be the “one to watch”; now this one! Let's hope XBB. 1.6 goes the way XBB.1.5 went. It is on such slender wishes that human lives hang.
Arcturus has so far made its debut in geographies across and round the globe; from Singapore and Australia to the United Kingdom and Germany, and Denmark. From Japan to Israel, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand. Also in South Korea and the Netherlands. Of course, China, too. Half the world, say those aware of its spread throughout the Ides of March.
If there's been a dearth of Arcturus info in India, blame it on the bird named the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare though it's a matter of comfort that the developing coronavirus situation in India is a matter of some concern for foreigners watching this Orange Star's virus avatar. That the BJP, and the Sangh Parivar, which rules India, and identifies with the orange reference to this variant of the coronavirus, lends to it many connotations, not all of them in the category of ‘honourable mentions'.
According to experts, Arcturus may or may not cause a big surge and depends entirely on how vigilant the authorities are in India. Of course, the large population immunity matters. India is among the first countries where XBB.1.16 was “first spotted”. Many US cities have been home to Arcturus, if that is any comfort to Indians. According to an Indian-origin professor in the New York Institute of Technology, Arkansas, Raj Rajnarayanan, XBB.1.6 is picking up more mutations.
Apparently, Arcturus is steadily posting fresh cases throughout India. What's worrying is that XBB.1.6 has in it the potential to fuel hospitalizations and/or deaths. But nothing to fear for the immediate. Except that people who have largely and willingly forgotten the Covid protocol should go back to it and thank the Lord that if they are still around to catch the infection it was because of the protocol.
Like somebody has said “currently, XBB.1.16 is the big dog” and big dog takes a big bite. People remember that. And then don't blame the government if the big dog takes a big liking for you. According to the Arkansas professor, “In India, XBB.1.16 is displaying a 64% growth advantage.”
The danger is of an overwhelmed and tired populace giving up. The variants keep coming. It's like the Pakistani soldiers on the Kargil heights in 1999 complaining, “No matter how many we neutralize, they keep coming, they keep attacking…” Maybe the Modi government believes India's vaccines will defeat Arcturus. That is one Orange Star to another Orange Star, a virus. The one difference, between this variant and the previous ones, is that XBB.1.16 gives its victims an unusually and acute redeye, in medical terms, conjunctivitis.
(IPA Service)
