India reports more than 1000 new infections with the corona variant XBB.1.16 in one day. Experts are observing this with concern, although there is no reason to panic. The variant called Arcturus is a so-called recombinant of two subvariants of Omicron. Other countries like Germany are also affected by Arcturus.
There is no reason to panic, but according to a WHO expert, the new corona variant Arcturus should be closely monitored. Vipin Vashishtha, a pediatrician, researcher at Mangla Hospital and Research Center in Bijnor, India, and a member of the WHO vaccine group, warned in a tweet: “All eyes should be on India!”
Because a new combination of two sub-variants (recombinants) of Omicron called XBB.1.16, which is also known as Arcturus, is currently spreading there.
Expert corrects previous tweet
For expert Vashishtha, the spread was initially a cause for great concern, as he explained on Twitter on March 18: “If XBB.1.16 aka Arcturus could succeed in breaking the ‘robust’ population immunity of Indians, which is subject to the onslaught of variants like successfully resisted BA.2.75, BA.5, BQs, XBB.1.5, then the whole world must be seriously worried!” The tweet is now unavailable; instead, Vashishtha corrected his statement to the effect that in India the immunity gained through variant BA.2 could give “some protection” against Arcturus. However, according to his statements, one cannot be sure
Arcturus: Cases in India, the USA and also Germany
What is certain is that within 14 days, the number of cases across India has increased by 281 percent. Mid-March became loud India Times more than 1000 new infections reported in one day. Previously, the number of new infections every day was around 300. According to Vashishtha, Arcturus should be easily transmissible; In addition to India, most cases are known in the USA, Brunei, Singapore and the United Kingdom, writes the expert.
According to one current report According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the XBB family has largely supplanted the previously dominant omicron subvariants BA.5 and BA.2 worldwide. The designation XBB means that it is a recombinant of Omicron. As a result, the XBB variants increase their prevalence – i.e. the total number of cases of illness. In Germany there has been one case of XBB.1.16 in Bavaria and one case in Baden-Württemberg.
So far, no evidence of more severe courses
There is currently no reliable evidence of more severe courses or increasing hospitalization rates due to Arcturus. Not in India either, like the Indian news channel NDTV reported. The experts are concerned that this could still change. Vashishtha about refers to slightly increased hospitalizations in Singapore in early March by XBB.1.16.
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