Unpacking the Emergence and Concerns Surrounding the XBB.1.16 Lineage: A Recombinant Omicron Variant Responsible for the Recent COVID-19 Spike in India

Unpacking the Emergence and Concerns Surrounding the XBB.1.16 Lineage: A Recombinant Omicron Variant Responsible for the Recent COVID-19 Spike in India

Over the past three years, SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve by accumulating genetic variations. A co-infection of multiple lineages of the virus could result in recombinations between genomes that can give rise to chimeric genomes or recombinants. While most recombinations may not give rise to viable viruses, a rare possibility exists where recombination could result in the creation of a new lineage of the virus with better functional capabilities than either of the parent lineages.

Health Newstrack