Despite rapid contamination, XBB.1.16 poses no risk of further hospitalizations and deaths, according to specialists; conjunctivitis and high fever are some of the symptoms that may be associated with the new strain
First sequenced in India in January of this year, and now present in nearly 40 countries, the new variant of COVID-19 Arthuralso called XBB.1.16, already in circulation in Brazil. The newly discovered strain was detected in the State of São Paulo, according to information from the Ministry of Health. The strain has been treated as a variant of interest (VOI) since mid-April World Health Organization (WHO)for its rapid spread in recent weeks.
Although it causes different symptoms than past strains, such as conjunctivitis and high fever, the new lineage has not, so far, shown the potential to cause new waves of deaths and hospitalizations, or to generate more serious health risks for those infected, according to specialists. And the vaccines currently available, according to an epidemiologist interviewed by the Stadiummanage to guarantee protection against the newly discovered variant.
Arcturus is a lineage that descends from BA.2 – which in turn derives from Omicron – and due to its rapid spread in some countries of the world, such as India and the United States, the World Health Organization has changed, in the last day 17, the type of classification from “monitoring variant” to “interest variant”. The lineage has now been sequenced in at least 37 countries, including Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
According to the Ministry of Health, one case of variant XBB.1.16 has been registered in the State of São Paulo. The file states that the evidence on this strain “doesn’t indicate public health risks compared to XBB.1.5? – which is the main circulating strain in the country – nor an increase in the severity of cases.
Increased circulation
Globally, there has been a weekly increase in the prevalence of Arcturus worldwide, according to data presented by WHO. Between late February and early March of this year, the prevalence of XBB.1.16 was 0.52%. Currently the index has risen to 4.31%. The most common bloodline currently is XBB.1.5, also known as Kraken, at 45%.
According to the WHO, the global risk assessment for Arcturus (XBB.1.16) is low compared to Kraken (XBB.1.5), but the possibility is not excluded that the former will become more widespread than the latter.
The latest WHO technical report released this week says that no changes in the health severity of infected patients have been reported in countries where XBB.1.16 circulates. Only India and Indonesia have seen a slight increase in bed occupancy, but hospitalization levels are still well below what was seen in previous variant waves, according to the organisation.
However, although the risks of Arcturus are low, the variant was recalled by the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom, in an opening speech given at a press conference on the last day of the 26th.
“As the emergence of the new XBB.1.16 variant illustrates, the virus is still changing and is still capable of causing new waves of disease and death,” he said. Adhanom also said he hoped to declare the end of covid-19 a public health emergency later this year.
Current vaccines protect, says the expert
For the epidemiologist Jesem Orellana, of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), even if it cannot be said that the new variant causes “a health disaster, just like Gama (P.1) did in South America”, Arcturus puts in check the plan to declare the end of the pandemic.
“XBB.1.16 is yet another VOI. Far from being irrelevant, it shows how SARS-COV-2 does not stop modifying its genetic structure into versions that allow it to have greater longevity,” said the specialist.
According to Orellana, the symptoms caused by the new variant are mainly:
- Conjunctivitis
- Dry cough
- feverish episodes
Some of these symptoms have been seen less often in strains that were prevalent in the past. This demonstrates, according to the specialist, that “the virus does not change only in terms of its genetic structure, but in relation to the symptoms themselves”.
Even so, the epidemiologist has a reassuring speech. He says that the current vaccines distributed in Brazil are able to protect the population from the new variant. “There is little reason to think that vaccines like the bivalent will cease to be highly effective for severe cases and death from covid-19. For now, all vaccines continue to work well,” he says.
While he doesn’t have any specific studies proving that the new variant is more lethal, Arcturus, according to him, “shows that the virus will continue to infect many people and kill others, especially the unvaccinated, the incompletely vaccinated, and higher-risk groups, such as the elderly and immunosuppressed, for example”.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
