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Health officials have issued a new warning as two new variants of the coronavirus have begun to emerge and spread across the UK. It is believed that the XBB variant, which has been detected in 14 instances to date, may evade accumulated immunity in the population through vaccines and past infections. Meanwhile, the other new mutant strain, BQ. 1, has recorded more than 700 instances nationwide. So far, none of the variants have been classified as a variant of fear through the UK Health Safety Agency. , has indicated that it is largely following the scenario as it evolves.
The XBB strain, which has been detected in more than 17 countries in Asia and Europe, has been described as a “nightmare” through Asian media due to its spread.
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Health, within a week, the mutant strain increased from 22% of cases to 54% of cases.
The fact that nearly 80% of the country’s population has been fully vaccinated raises considerations that the virus can evade immunity and spread quickly.
There is no indication that the new variant causes the progression of more severe symptoms, which has led some experts to dub the variant a “nightmare. “
UC Berkeley infectious disease expert John Swartzberg told the San Francisco Chronicle that the variant is “not another one,” adding, “It’s a pretty irresponsible report because it’s knowing what all those variants mean.
“We’re seeing a multitude of new variants using a technique similar to: they’re localizing tactics to escape how we get immunity to vaccines and past infections with adjustments in the spike protein. “
Dr Meera Chand, UKHSA’s Director of Clinical and Emerging Infections, said: “No new variants of SARS-CoV-2 are expected to emerge. Neither BQ. 1 nor XBB have been designated as variants of fear and UKHSA is tracking the scenario closely, as always.
“Vaccination remains our most productive defense against prolonged waves of COVID-19, so it remains vital that others come in and take all the doses they are entitled to as soon as possible. “
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The XBB variant was first discovered in India in August, and has since been discovered in Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Japan, Singapore and at least thirteen other countries, plus Australia and Denmark.
Data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center that cases in Singapore are emerging at an alarming rate, doubling from 4719 on Oct. 10 to 11,732 the next day.
The country’s fitness minister, Ong Ye Kung, warned that as of mid-November the country is expected to have an average of 15,000 cases.
Despite this immediate accumulation of cases, the Ministry of Health added that there is no evidence that XBB appears as a cause of more severe disease, it appears to be resistant to treatments.
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The XBB strain is a mutation in the Omicron BA. 2 variant. In the United States, so far, 23 XBBs have been detected.
Natalie Thornburg, senior specialist in respiratory virus immunology at the CDC, said, “XBB is a chimera. I think some sequences are known in the United States. But it’s good, well, well, well below that one percent threshold. “I mean, it’s like a bunch of sequences.
In a recent statement, UKHSA said: “Lately neutralisation studies are being conducted at Oxford University. Overall, the data show significant discounts in neutralization compared to several of the emerging variants (BA. 2. 75. 2, BA. 2. 3. 20 and BJ. 1), to BA. 2, BA. 4 and the dominant BA. 5.
What this means in practice, UKHSA said, is that “as immunity begins to wane, those new emerging variants of BA. 2 would possibly fuel waves of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the long term. “