Omicron RF.5 Sublineage Detected in Andhra Pradesh; COVID-19 Cases Rise to 19
The Andhra Pradesh government announced that genome sequencing at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune has identified the Omicron RF.5 sublineage in five samples from YSR Kadapa district. This marks the first detection of this subvariant in the state. As of July 19, 2026, a total of 19 COVID-19 cases have been reported over three weeks, with three new cases on Sunday including one in Visakhapatnam admitted to King George Hospital. Director of Medical Education A. Vishnu Vardhan stated that RF.5 does not appear more dangerous than other Omicron sublineages, citing evidence from Singapore and Southeast Asia. Symptoms are similar to other Omicron subvariants: sore throat, cough, fever, headache, runny nose, fatigue, and body aches. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav confirmed that hospitals are prepared with stocked testing kits and isolation wards, though cases remain sporadic.
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