New ‘Kraken’ XBB.15 Covid variant running rife is ‘most transmissible yet’, WHO warns
THE World Health Organisation has warned that a new Covid variant sweeping the UK could be the 'most transmissible yet'.
The aggressive new Omicron strain, officially named XBB.1.5, but nicknamed Kraken, has already taken hold in parts of the US.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for Covid last night warned that medics are concerned about the variant.
"We are concerned about its growth advantage in particular in some countries in Europe and in the US... particularly the Northeast part of the United States, where XBB.1.5 has rapidly replaced other circulating variants.
"Our concern is how transmissible it is… and the more this virus circulates, the more opportunities it will have to change," she told a press conference.
In the UK, cases are low and the Omicron spin-off makes up less than five per cent of positive tests being recorded.
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Data from the Sanger Institute states that the strain is responsible for up to half of all Covid cases in the Wirral - one of the hardest hit areas, the surveillance centre says.
The dominant strain in the UK is the BQ.1 – an offshoot of BA.5, which is a close ancestor to the original Omicron strain that emerged last winter.
BQ.1 took over in November, when NHS medical director Sir Stephen Powis warned it would “drive further increases” in hospitals.
Top scientists said the Kraken strain could increase cases if it takes over but it is unlikely to “herald a new crisis”.
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Cases of the 'Kraken' variant have almost doubled in a week in the US, with a high prevalence of infections being reported in New York, experts have warned.
The variant, first detected in India in August, has gained additional mutations which make it better at evading immunity and therefore "more infectious", Prof Francois Balloux of the UCL Genetics Institute has said.
He added: "It is widely anticipated to go up in frequency globally, and may cause a sizeable fraction of cases globally in the near future.
";As such, it could push up case numbers over the coming weeks in the UK."
However, Prof Jonathan Ball a virologist at the University of Nottingham said there was "no evidence it's more dangerous" than current strains.
"It might be able to escape antibodies, but that’s not the only immunity we have.
"Our immune system is used to adapting to viruses," he explained.
The Omicron strain has already been found to be milder than others that came before it.
And the mammoth rollout of vaccines across the UK has meant many already have some level of protection from the bug.
On Wednesday morning Professor Lawrence Young from the University of Warwick said we need to be 'keeping an eye' on Covid cases in the UK amid a the XBB1.5 variant.
"It’s significant because it’s spreading so rapidly, we are seeing a whole slew at the moment of different Omicron variants, indeed that’s what’s causing the spread of Covid in this country.
"This particular variant is unusual in that it’s spreading so rapidly - and in fact towards the end of December the number of cases with this particular variant in the US more than doubled in a week and that’s why we’re very concerned," he said.
What are the symptoms of XBB.1.5?
No official data has come out regarding infection signs of the new variant, but as an off-shoot of Omicron, many of its early symptoms should be similar to previous versions of the strain.
According to the Zoe symptom app these include:
- runny nose
- headache
- fatigue (mild or severe)
- sneezing
- sore throat
The Sun has been urging Brits to protect against both Covid and flu, as part of its “Do the Double” campaign with a good degree of success.
Latest NHS figures show there are 9,459 hospital patients with Covid and 4,128 with flu.
The total of 13,587 is 13 per cent of all available ward beds — one in every eight.
So far, nine million Brits are still due a Covid booster.
If you are eligible you can through the NHS website for an appointment at a vaccination centre or pharmacy.
The rise in cases and the pressure on the NHS has prompted medics to urge Brits to wear facemasks if they feel unwell.
Chief Medical Adviser Susan Hopkins told sick Brits to “try to stay home when unwell” and “wear a face covering” if you must go out.
Dr Belinda Griffiths from The Fleet Street Clinic said "Common sense" must be used when it comes to general mask wearing.
"If you are fit and well, with no close contacts who are known to have coughs, colds, flu or Covid, then there should be no reason to wear a mask."
People with symptoms of illnesses should be encouraged to stay home, and work from home, but if this is not possible, they should wear a mask "out of common courtesy", she explained.
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"By wearing a mask, they are limiting the transmission of their virus to others when coughing and sneezing."