Global Courant 2023-04-13 11:15:38
India has been hit by a new wave of Covid-19 cases driven by a new sub-variant known as “Arcturus”.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is monitoring the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 strain, which is also found in more than 20 countries.
Here’s what we know about XBB.1.16.
What is Arcturus?
Arcturus is the name given to the new sub-variant, known as XBB.1.16. First discovered in late January, it is a recombinant variant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75, two descendants of another Omicron variant BA.2.
The WHO said the subvariant has one additional gene mutation in the spike protein, which shows increased infectivity in lab studies, as well as possibly increased pathogenicity.
Arcturus is nearly 1.2 times more portable than XBB.1.5, according to a University of Tokyo study. However, the subvariant is not thought to be more severe than XBB.1.5, British news outlet iNews reported.
What are the symptoms?
Some symptoms that have been reported include fever that gradually increases and lasts for one or two days, headache, body aches, abdominal pain, and sore throat.
Many of those infected with the subvariant also report conjunctivitis and sticky eyes.
Which countries have the sub-variant?
The subvariant was first discovered in late January. It is currently found in over 20 countries, including Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
In Singapore, 28,410 cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the last week of March. This is almost double last week’s figure of 14,467.
The Health Ministry told CNA that the current Covid-19 infection wave is being driven by a mix of XBB sub-variants, including XBB.1.5, XBB.1.9 and XBB.1.16. However, it added that there is currently no evidence of an increased severity of the cases.
How is the situation in India?
As of Wednesday, there were 40,215 active cases of Covid-19 in India — an increase of 3,122 cases in just one day, according to the country’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The new wave of Covid-19 cases has prompted at least two Indian states to reintroduce mask wearing in public places as cases rise in India to the highest weekly count in seven months, The Telegraph reported Wednesday .
In the northern state of Haryana, face masks are mandatory in public places and schools. In the southern state of Kerala, a popular tourist destination, masks are mandatory for pregnant women, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.
