The new subvariant of Ômicron, XBB.1.5, is spreading in the United States (US) and already accounts for about 40% of the country’s Covid19 cases, compared to 20% recorded last week.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the subvariant leads the number of Covid19 cases in the country and has gained traction, particularly in the Northwest. In regions like New York, it’s already reaching 75% of confirmed cases.
The CDC warns that this subvariant “might be more transmissible than others,” though it’s not yet known if it has “more severe” effects.
North American hospitals see an increase in hospital admissions over the past month, although the Northwest region, which has a high number of cases with this subvariant, does not see 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.
Covid19 is a contagious respiratory disease caused by the SARSCoV2 coronavirus, which was discovered in China three years ago and has spread rapidly around the world after acquiring several variants and subvariants, of which some are more contagious than others.
The disease has been an international public health emergency since January 30, 2020 and a pandemic since March 11, 2020.
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