Meet the “Kraken” COVID variant – the dominant new Omicron escape strain that experts say is the most transmissible yet
Experts are watching the new Omicron strain XBB.1.5 – dubbed “Kraken” on Twitter – for its potential to trigger the next big COVID wave, its “escape strain” characteristics and its extremely high transmissibility.
The World Health Organization’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Development is working on a risk assessment of the variant that is most communicable to date, Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for COVID-19 response at the World Health Organization, said at a news conference on Wednesday. Her organization has also asked the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to report on the risks of the new variant, as XBB.1.5 has “rapidly replaced other variants” in some European countries and the Northeast US, Van Kerkhove said. , she added.
Both reports are expected in the coming days. Experts are currently focusing on the variant’s ability to spread rapidly and overtake other strains of Omicron.
Researchers are investigating whether XBB.1.5 could have other worrisome properties, such as the ability to cause more serious illnesses. So far there is no evidence of this, she added.
What is known, however, is that XBB.1.5 continues Omicron’s legacy of spawning variants that spread with increasing ease – and elude immunity to previous infections and vaccinations. Here’s what we know so far about the latest Omicron spawn to make headlines.
When and where was XBB.1.5 discovered?
Although XBB.1.5 was only recently launched worldwide, it has been around for a while. According to the WHO, it was first discovered in October.
Where did that come from?
XBB.1.5 is a “recombinant” or combination of two offshoots of Omicron BA.2, which itself was known as the “Stealth Omicron” because it could produce false negatives on some tests.
Which countries see it?
So far, the US is seeing the most notable growth of the new variant. This week, the CDC predicted it accounted for about 75% of infections in Regions 1 and 2, which include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands include . It has been predicted to be behind about 40% of cases nationally.
Some European countries are also seeing steep increases. According to the WHO, the variant has so far been reported in 25 countries.
Why is it so worrying?
Currently, experts are focusing on the variant’s growth advantage over other strains of Omicron. In the US, XBB.1.5 should account for only about 1% of cases in early December. A month later, it is expected to be behind 40% of cases. The CDC is expected to release a new COVID variant forecast on Friday.
Aside from being the most transmissible COVID variant to date, XBB.1.5 also binds particularly well to the cells it infects, according to WHO officials. This property allows a virus to replicate itself easily in a host, which could lead to a more severe disease. But so far there is no evidence of this, WHO officials said yesterday.
Will it lead to an increase in hospital admissions and deaths?
The jury isn’t out yet. The Northeast US, where XBB.1.5 is thriving, is seeing an increase in hospitalizations, according to Van Kerkhove. The WHO on Thursday also reported a 20% increase in global COVID deaths over the past month. But it’s unknown what’s behind the trends, she said. Both could be due to increased proliferation, which generally occurs around public holidays due to gatherings, and are not necessarily indicative of a new, more problematic strain.
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