“First Case of XBB.116 Variant of SARS-CoV-2 Reported in Ecuador, Ministry of Public Health Maintains Active Surveillance”

The Ministry of Public Health reported this Sunday on the first case of the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 XBB.116 sublineage reported in Ecuador and assured that it maintains active epidemiological surveillance for covid-19.

In a statement, he pointed out that the reference laboratory of the National Institute for Public Health Research (INSPI) reported the aforementioned first case in a patient from the city of Quito, province of Pichincha, “who at the moment is without symptoms.”

According to an analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO), the risk of the XBB.116 variant “is low”, noting that this sublineage was detected for the first time last January in India, where a prevalence of 80% is registered. %.

Cases have also been reported in other Latin American countries such as Guatemala, Chile and Brazil, the ministry said.

According to the source, the symptoms of this new variant are similar to those of covid-19: fever, severe headache, sore throat, cough, body pain, and in children of an age range close to 12 years have manifested symptoms related to conjunctivitis

In the presence of symptoms, the Ministry of Public Health recommends that the population wear a mask, not self-medicate and go to the nearest health center.

EFE