Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 more likely to infect vaccinated people
Data from the CDC states that the XBB.1.5 accounts for 43% of cases in the US when in just January, it accounted for 30%.
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A colorized illustration of the COVID virus (Johns Hopkins School of Public Health)
The new Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, is being warned against by New York City health officials, as it is feared that it may potentially infect individuals who have already been vaccinated or infected previously with Covid-19.
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene posted a tweet on Friday: "Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 now accounts for 73% of all sequenced COVID-19 cases in NYC," adding that the "XBB.1.5 is the most transmissible form of COVID-19 that we know of to date and may be more likely to infect people who have been vaccinated or already had COVID-19."
Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 now accounts for 73% of all sequenced COVID-19 cases in NYC. XBB.1.5 is the most transmissible form of COVID-19 that we know of to date and may be more likely to infect people who have been vaccinated or already had COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/1Ux8LNHwUu
— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) January 13, 2023
Getting vaccinated against the virus which was first detected in October and dubbed the "Kraken", is the best way to avoid hospitalization and possible death even from other variants as well, according to the department.
Data from the CDC states that the XBB.1.5 accounts for 43% of cases in the US, when in just January it accounted for 30%.
Circulation will increase its evolution
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned earlier this week that case rates may increase and warned further that it will definitely keep evolving into new variants.
Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, expressed that the concern is mainly "how transmissible it is," continuing that "the more this virus circulates, the more chances it will have to change,"
However, no data currently exists to prove that the subvariant leads to more severe diseases, but the WHO is formulating a new risk assessment which should be released soon.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said on Friday as well, that "the XBB.1.5 subvariant of COVID-19's most prolific variant to date,"
The United States accounts for more than 82% of all XBB.1.5 infections worldwide, followed by the United Kingdom (8.1%) and Denmark (2.2%).
