2 minute read
we apologize, but this video has failed to load.
try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
a new covid strain called the kraken is becoming a worry around the world.
xbb.1.5, a subvariant of omicron, is now dominant in parts of the u.s. and it has started to gain ground in the u.k.
the u.k. daily mail says a contagious covid strain has emerged and is behind three in four cases in the u.s.
the highly contagious covid strain is already behind one in 25 cases in the u.k., data shows.
experts say the new variant is a “wakeup call.”
the sanger institute, one of the u.k.’s largest covid surveillance centres, shows four per cent of cases in the week to dec. 17 were caused by xbb.1.5.
xbb.1.5 is a mutated version of omicron xbb, a strain that was first found in india in august.
its parent strain, xbb, caused cases to quadruple in just one month in some parts of the world.
concern about xbb.1.5 is largely based on how it is currently surging in the u.s.
statistics from the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention showed the strain is behind 41 % of cases.
the figure is up from 22% one week earlier.
xbb.1.5 has also been detected in countries including france, germany, the netherlands, spain, ireland, australia, singapore and india.
recommended video
professor lawrence young, a virologist at warwick university, told the daily mail that the emergence of the strain could exacerbate the crisis in britain.
advertisement
“the xbb.1.5 variant is highly infectious and is driving increased hospital admissions in new york, particularly among the elderly,” young said.
“waning immunity, more indoor mixing because of the cold weather and lack of other mitigations, such as wearing facemasks, are also contributing to this surge of infection in the u.s.”
public health ontario hasn’t yet found any xbb.1.5 cases.
“we have confirmed with our laboratory that, though we have not yet specifically reported cases of xbb.1.5 in ontario, if there are any cases, they are currently being captured under xbb.1. the ontario covid-19 genomics network is in the process of updating the software used to assign lineages. once updated, we will be able to identify xbb.1.5 cases specifically and reclassify any cases previously captured as xbb.1,” pho said in a statement.
share story
