The new sub-variant of Ómicron, XBB.1.5, is spreading across the US and already accounts for about 40% of covid-19 cases in the country, compared to the 20% recorded last week, it was announced on Tuesday.
According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this subvariety is leading the number of covid-19 cases in the country and gaining ground, especially in the Northwest.
In regions like New York, it already reaches 75% of confirmed cases.
The CDC warns that this dominant subvariant of covid-19 “may be more transmissible than other variants,” though it is still unknown whether it has “more severe” effects.
North American hospitals have experienced an increase in admissions over the past month, although the Northwest region, which has a high number of cases with this subvariant, is not experiencing a disproportionate increase in hospital admissions compared to other regions.
XBB.1.5 is related to the Omicron variant XBB, which has been found in at least 35 countries and with clinical severity in Singapore and India, according to World Health Organization data.
Covid-19 is an infectious respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which was discovered in China three years ago and has spread rapidly around the world, adopting several variants and subvariants, some more contagious than others .
The disease has been an international public health emergency since January 30, 2020, and a pandemic since March 11, 2020.
Source: DN
