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<keyword id="8764262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Covid" source="Orion">Covid</keyword> in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> is moving towards the <keyword id="950387" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="endemic" source="Orion">endemic</keyword> stage, so the cases may keep rising for the next 10-12 days after which they will subside, official sources said on Wednesday. The sources said even though the cases are increasing, hospitalisation is low and expected to remain low. The current rise in Covid cases is being driven by <keyword id="16822233" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="XBB-1-16" source="Orion">XBB.1.16</keyword>, which is a sub-variant of <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword>, they added. While Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity or immune escape. The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6 per cent in February this year to 35.8 per cent in March. However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, official sources said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/nuvama-wealth-management-aims-to-list-by-aug-sets-ambitious-biz-growth-targets/articleshow/99435745.cms">Nuvama Wealth Management aims to list by Aug; sets ambitious biz growth targets</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/phonepe-gets-additional-usd-100-million-fund-from-general-atlantic/articleshow/99435726.cms">PhonePe gets additional USD 100 million fund from General Atlantic</a>

Covid entering endemic stage in India, cases likely to start subsiding after 10-12 days

The number of cases of COVID-19's <keyword id="15929505" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="XBB-1-5-variant" source="Orion">XBB.1.5 variant</keyword>, responsible for the rise in cases in the US, has gone up to 26 in India, according to INSACOG data on Monday. The cases of XBB.1.5 variant have been found across 11 states and Union territories till now, including <keyword id="66" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="Orion">Delhi</keyword>, <keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword> and <keyword id="6357783" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="west-bengal" source="Orion">West Bengal</keyword>, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) said. The XBB.1.5 strain is a relative of the <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> XBB variant, which is a recombinant of the Omicron BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants. Combined, XBB and XBB.1.5 make up 44 per cent of cases in the US. The INSACOG data also showed that 14 cases of BF.7 strain which is apparently driving China's COVID-19 wave have been found in India. There are four cases of Omicron sub-variant BF.7 reported in West Bengal, three in Maharashtra, two each in Haryana and Gujarat and one each in Odisha, Delhi and <keyword id="6354780" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="karnataka" source="Orion">Karnataka</keyword>. INSACOG reports genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across the country through sequencing of samples from sentinel sites and international passengers arriving in India. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/google-cci-penalty-case-will-you-put-in-same-regime-as-in-europe-sc-asks-google/articleshow/97027578.cms">Google-CCI penalty case: 'Will you put in same regime as in Europe', SC asks Google</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/ruchir-modi-lalit-modis-son-named-as-his-successor/slidelist/97023203.cms">The rise of the Lalit Modi heir: All about Ruchir Modi, son &amp; successor of IPL founder</a>

Covid 19's XBB.1.5 variant cases rise to 26 in India: INSACOG

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The XBB.1.5 coronavirus variant is spreading quickly in the US — it's causing 40% of cases.</li><li>This "kraken" variant is more transmissible and evades the immune system better than other Omicrons.</li></ul>A supercharged coronavirus variant called XBB.1.5 is spreading quickly in the US — and it's aggressive enough that scientists have nicknamed it the <a href="https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1608082277900161025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"kraken" variant</a>. "It's probably, arguably, in terms of its immune evasiveness and its ability to attach well, more formidable than any of the other subvariants currently around," Dr. John Swartzberg, an infectious-disease expert and professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health, told Insider.According to <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> estimates, XBB.1.5 is now responsible for more than 40% of all COVID-19 cases in the US — a dramatic climb from where it stood just a month ago, when it accounted for less than 4% of cases. In Northeastern states, including Connecticut and Vermont, XBB.1.5 has essentially taken over: It accounts for more than 75% of new reported cases, according to the estimates. "It's doing pretty well right now," Andy Rothstein, a computational biologist, told Insider. "It's doubling week over week."Rothstein, who helps lead the CDC's <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#traveler-genomic-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">airport-testing and -sequencing program</a> for <a href="https://www.epidemictracker.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concentric by Ginkgo</a>, a biosecurity division of the Boston biotech company, said the XBB.1.5 variant had two things in its arsenal giving it a competitive advantage: It is more contagious and more immune-evasive than other versions of Omicron.<h2>XBB.1.5 has some new mutational tricks</h2><div type="image" title="kraken" height="668" width="1356" msid="96746569" hostid="261"></div>The XBB.1.5 variant is a descendant of XBB, which was a mash-up of two versions of BA.2 (what virus experts call a "recombinant variant"). Experts were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-xbb-new-infectious-covid-variant-of-omicron-2022-10">worried about XBB</a> as early as October, when it surged in Singapore, but it ended up fizzling out quickly there and scientists still aren't quite sure why. XBB.1.5 was <a href="https://cov-spectrum.org/explore/World/AllSamples/from=2022-09-01&amp;to=2022-10-31/variants?nextcladePangoLineage=XBB.1.5&amp;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first noticed</a> in the Northeastern US around New York and Connecticut, and it has a few new mutational tricks up its sleeve. Specifically, it has a new mutation called F486P, which has "supercharged" the variant, Rothstein said, by allowing it to attach to ACE2 receptors in our body more easily. Practically, this could make the virus better at spreading and infecting us than the original XBB. It's unclear whether XBB.1.5 will completely take over in the US, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-worried-to-be-about-ba5-covid-omicron-variant-experts-2022-7">like BA.5 did</a> in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-ba5-subvariant-becomes-dominant-strain-in-the-us-2022-7">summer</a>, but Rothstein said there were a lot of signs suggesting the Omicron subvariant may become responsible for a large share of domestic cases in the near future. At the very least, it'll likely cocirculate for a while with other variants. <h2>We don't know whether XBB.1.5 will cause more severe illness</h2><div type="image" title="6 covid tests, 2 are positive, 4 are negative" height="1400" width="2100" msid="96746570" hostid="261"></div>It's unclear whether XBB.1.5 will cause more virulent infections, which would make patients sicker than those infected with other Omicron variants, Swartzberg, the infectious-disease expert, said."The preliminary evidence is that it doesn't appear to make us that sick — it's not <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-variant-is-like-covid-19-on-steroids-expert-says-2021-7">as bad as Delta was</a>," he said. "It's more like the other Omicrons."COVID-19 caseloads are decreasing both <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklycases_select_00" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overall</a> in the US and <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page#daily" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in the Northeast</a>, where XBB.1.5 is <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most prevalent</a>. Swartzberg called that a "wonderful shock" given the holidays and all the indoor gathering that's been going on this winter.While COVID-19 <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#new-hospital-admissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospitalization rates are up slightly</a>, those severe cases may not be reflective of XBB.1.5 — they are likely due to increases in disease spread we saw in mid-December, before the kraken variant was very prevalent."We're almost a victim of too much science in the sense that we can track these new variants really well, but we really don't know how to interpret them very well," Swartzberg said.<h2>Vaccines still work decently against XBB.1.5</h2>Preliminary <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e1.htm?s_cid=mm7148e1_w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> suggests the new <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-covid-19-booster-shots-side-effects-timing-2022-9">bivalent COVID-19 boosters</a> provide decent protection against XBB.1.5."It's not ideal, but it's better than it could have been," Swartzberg said. "Pretty good protection against XBB in terms of hospitalization and death, probably not much of anything to preventing infection."For now, the infectious-disease expert's advice remains "the same as always," he said: Stay up to date on vaccinations (both <a href="https://www.insider.com/bad-flu-season-when-should-i-get-a-shot-2022-9">flu</a> and COVID-19), and wear a mask that fits you well, like an N95 or KN95, whenever you're indoors in a public place."If you do those two things during the month of January and for much of February, you're going to not only protect yourself against the ravages of COVID but also the other respiratory viruses that are circulating," he said. His own plan is to keep masking up indoors in public, he said, "until the numbers of cases of COVID and other respiratory viruses dramatically drop, which I hope will be sometime in late February."

What to know about XBB.1.5, the aggressive Omicron variant called the 'kraken' that's skyrocketing in the US

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jimmy Fallon joked that the new Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 sounded like Elon Musk's son's name.</li><li>Musk responded to a Tweet sharing the video, calling it: "Tragic."</li></ul>Jimmy Fallon has joked that the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 sounded like one of Elon Musk's children's names.He appeared to be referring to the name of Musk's son, X Æ A-Xii. The comedian and television host made the joke <a href="https://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/jimmy-performs-a-tiny-song-for-covid-variant-xbb15/NBCE366213774" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during a song</a> about the Omicron subvariant when he performed on a January 5 episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." He sang: "It's a new strain, but it isn't the same. Sounds more like Elon Musk's kid's name."The song was shared widely on Twitter after it was seized by conspiracy theorists and anti-vaxxers. One user <a href="https://twitter.com/SkowMatthew/status/1611800819464081409" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> the video, saying: "Jimmy Fallon singing about how XBB.1.5 is the best Covid variant yet.. This is 5th Gen Warfare.. You are under attack"Musk <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1612506697498791937" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to a version of the video shared by journalist Glenn Greenwald, calling it: "Tragic."The new Omicron subvariant is spreading quickly in the US and causing more than 40% of new COVID-19 cases, according to estimates from the <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a> XBB.1.5 is more transmissible and is better at evading the immune system than other Omicrons, experts <a href="https://www.insider.com/xbb15-omicron-new-covid-variant-what-to-know-2023-1">told Insider.</a>Representatives for Fallon and Musk did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.Musk's son, X Æ A-Xii, was born in 2020. The singer Grimes, with whom Musk was in a relationship, is the child's mother.Shortly after his birth, Grimes said each letter of the unusual <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/x-ae-a-12-elon-musk-grimes-baby-name-meaning-2020-5">name was significant.</a> She explained in a <a href="https://twitter.com/Grimezsz/status/1257836061520101377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1257836061520101377%7Ctwgr%5E73a3231d8832c764a1d00efe4be213d0557cded7%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Fx-ae-a-12-elon-musk-grimes-baby-name-meaning-2020-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet</a> the X stands for "the unknown variable," Æ for her "elven spelling of Ai," and A-12 for the "precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft.)" As I<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-pronounce-x-ae-a-12-elon-musk-grimes-baby-name-2020-5">nsider previously reported</a>, the couple appeared to have changed the spelling of the baby's name from X Æ A-12 to X Æ A-Xii to comply with California state law.

Jimmy Fallon jokes that new Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 sounds like Elon Musk's son's name

<ul class="summary-list"><li>This week the FDA approved an updated version of a COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax.</li><li>This shot is effective at preventing infection with Omicron strains of the virus.</li></ul>On October 3, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the use of a new,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-updated-novavax-covid-19-vaccine-formulated-better-protect-against-currently"> updated vaccine from Novavax</a> against COVID-19 variants.The protein-based Novavax vaccine will join the ranks of the recently <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/new-covid-vaccine-booster-when-available-vaccine-cdc-fda-2023-9">updated mRNA vaccines</a> from Pfizer and Moderna.According to the FDA, the Novavax vaccine helps protect against the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/xbb15-omicron-new-covid-variant-what-to-know-2023-1">XBB.1.5 Omicron variant</a>, also known as the "Kraken" variant, for people aged 12 and older.The vaccine will be available at major vaccination locations soon, including Costco, CVS Pharmacy and Rite Aid, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2023/10/03/fda-authorizes-novavax-covid-vaccine/71032299007/">USA Today</a> reported.Here's what you need to know about the new shot.<h2>This shot uses a different technology than the mRNA vaccines</h2>Pfizer and Moderna's shots use<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biotech-pivots-to-rna-research-after-covid-19-vaccines-2021-9"> mRNA</a> to instruct the body to manufacture a version of the COVID-19 spike protein that the immune system can learn how to fight. But the new Novavax vaccine works differently.It's a <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/novavax-s-protein-based-covid-vaccine-induces-broadly-neutralizing-responses-against-xbb-subvariants-1032572592">protein-based vaccine</a>, which means it directly gives the body the proteins that are needed to recognize and combat the SARS-CoV-2 virus.Many other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/what-are-protein-subunit-vaccines-and-how-could-they-be-used-against-covid-19">common vaccines</a> are protein-based vaccines, including vaccines for hepatitis B, pneumonia, and whooping cough.<h2>The Novavax vaccine seems to work as well as the other vaccines</h2>Although protein and mRNA vaccines work differently, they are both effective at preventing COVID-19 infection and severe illness.These updated vaccines are even more protective against newer COVID-19 variants, like the XBB.1.5 variant, which skyrocketed in January 2023.They may also be effective against other descendants of the Omicron variant, like EG.5, also known as "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/new-covid-variant-eris-symptoms-transmission-2023-8">Eris</a>," which is currently the <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions">dominant strain</a> in the US. But they haven't been tested against all the currently circulating sub-variants.For healthy people, both types of vaccine will produce a similar immune response.John Moore, a virologist at Cornell University's Weill Cornell Medicine in New York told USA Today that the body produces a similar amount of neutralizing antibodies regardless of the types of vaccines.Moore also told USA Today that those who experienced a sore arm or headache after receiving previous mRNA boosters may fare better with the Novavax shot.It's also OK to mix-and-match vaccines; if you got an mRNA vaccine the first time, it's alright to get the Novavax vaccine now.

A new COVID shot is more effective against current variants &mdash; and may have fewer side effects

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A coronavirus variant nicknamed "Eris" is now thought to be the dominant strain in the US.</li><li>The variant was discovered in February, and exploded during the summer months.</li></ul>A new coronavirus variant is rearing its head across the United States. Dubbed "Eris," it's descended from XBB — the same Omicron subvariant that spun off <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/xbb15-omicron-new-covid-variant-what-to-know-2023-1">the "kraken" variant</a> this past winter."It started off very slowly and then it seems to be picking up steam in terms of outcompeting its predecessors," John Swartzberg, an infectious-disease expert who's a professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley's School of Public Health, told Insider.Eris, formally known as EG.5, was named for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Eris-Greek-and-Roman-mythology">Greek goddess of strife</a> in <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TRyanGregory/status/1686433961856163840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1686433961856163840%7Ctwgr%5E59e90896c8c953b30c9cc2bd07d6143c0d3e2f38%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.net.au%2Fnews%2F2023-08-10%2Fcovid-variant-eris-eg51-in-australia-symptoms-cases-vaccines%2F102707970">a tweet</a> by the evolutionary biologist T. Ryan Gregory. "Eris" (also the name of a <a target="_blank" href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/dwarf-planets/eris/in-depth/">dwarf planet</a> in our solar system) aligns with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2021-who-announces-simple-easy-to-say-labels-for-sars-cov-2-variants-of-interest-and-concern">guidance from the World Health Organization</a> to use "simple, easy-to-say labels" for coronavirus variants using letters from the Greek alphabet.But though the CDC says Eris is spreading quickly, it doesn't appear to make people sicker than other variants, and symptoms of COVID-19 infection are similar to those caused by other strains.<h2>Eris is now considered the dominant coronavirus strain in the US</h2>Eris first emerged <a target="_blank" href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/09082023eg.5_ire_final.pdf?sfvrsn=2aa2daee_1">in February</a> and is an offshoot of the Omicron subvariant XBB. But it really began to take off in July, when its estimated share of total cases doubled.Eris <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions">accounted for</a> fewer than 1% of COVID-19 cases in the US at the end of April, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it is now estimated to account for more than 20% of new US COVID-19 cases, <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions">the CDC says</a>.Scientists aren't yet sure why Eris is now so common, but its dramatic increase led the World Health Organization to upgrade Eris from a "variant under monitoring" to a "variant of interest" in early August. In other words, WHO believes Eris poses an increased risk to global public health."Based on its genetic features, immune escape characteristics, and growth rate estimates, EG.5 may spread globally and contribute to a surge in case incidence," an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/09082023eg.5_ire_final.pdf?sfvrsn=2aa2daee_3">August 9 WHO report</a> said."Everything we've seen to date with this variant suggests that it has properties that allow it to be a little more transmissible than its competitors," Swartzberg said. "We've not seen any evidence to date that it is more virulent. That is, it makes us sicker."Swartzberg added, however, that our understanding of Eris is "still very early in the game — we haven't adequately been able to study enough people with EG.5 to know with certainty that it doesn't make us sicker, or conversely that it makes us less sick."<h2>Symptoms of Eris seem similar to those of other coronavirus strains</h2>So far, symptoms of Eris seem virtually identical to those caused by other coronavirus strains, according to Swartzberg. Eris, like other strains that cause COVID-19, can lead to a loss of taste or smell, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, and headaches. Those most at risk include older people, people with compromised immune systems, and those with chronic diseases, Swartzberg said.Eris may be more contagious than other strains, but it doesn't yet appear to be deadlier. Eris hasn't resulted in more deaths than the XBB strain of Omicron, for example.Still, the CDC reported a <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#maps_new-admissions-rate-county">19% rise in hospitalizations</a> from COVID-19 at the end of August compared to the previous week, and a 17.6% increase in deaths.<h2>A new coronavirus booster could soon protect against Eris</h2>A new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/20/covid-vaccines-pfizer-moderna-and-novavax-gear-up-for-fall-rollout.html">coronavirus booster</a> designed specifically to protect against XBB subvariants, like Eris, is being developed by the pharmaceutical companies <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/20/covid-vaccines-pfizer-moderna-and-novavax-gear-up-for-fall-rollout.html">Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax</a>. The new vaccines are expected to become available in October, and Swartzberg said they "should be very effective."For now, experts urge people to make sure they are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html#:~:text=Everyone%206%20years%20and%20older,any%20original%20COVID%2D19%20vaccines.">up-to-date on their coronavirus boosters</a>. Only 43% of American adults over 65 are up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines, according to Swartzberg, and older adults are especially vulnerable to severe infection.Additionally, people should wear N95 masks and socially distance when possible indoors.<h2>Scientists are also eyeing another variant called Pirola</h2>Eris isn't the only coronavirus variant that scientists are keeping an eye on. Another variant, called BA.2.86 and nicknamed "Pirola," has been recently identified by scientists.While BA.2.86 has only been detected in a handful people globally so far, including <a target="_blank" href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/trending/article/fourth-new-covid-variant-case-found-in-houston-18340782.php">four people in the US</a>, the variant has a large number of mutations that could mean it is more resistant to current vaccines and natural immunity, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/whats-new/covid-19-variant.html">according to the CDC </a>in an August 23 Risk Assessment Summary.However, the CDC said, almost the entire US population will still have some immunity through natural infection or vaccination that will still provide some protection from severe disease.Correction: August 11, 2023 — An earlier version of the story misstated the increase in prevalence of the Eris coronavirus variant in July.

What we know about new coronavirus variant 'Eris,' from symptoms to how fast it's spreading

Geneva [Switzerland], August 19 (ANI): World Health Organization (WHO) designated <keyword id="18456567" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19-variant-ba-2-86" source="Orion">COVID-19 variant BA.2.86</keyword> as a 'variant under monitoring' due to the large number of mutations it carries. The WHO said on Friday that they are tracking 3 variants of interest and 7 variants under monitoring at the moment. "WHO continues to call for better surveillance, sequencing, and reporting of #COVID19 as this virus continues to circulate and evolve," the WHO said in a tweet. Who further stated that it needed more data to understand this COVID19 variant and the extent of its spread, but the number of mutations warrants attention. Recently, the latest variant, EG.5 (also known as Eris), has grabbed the attention of public health experts around the world and is becoming a dominant strain in countries including the United States and Britain. The variant is causing about 17 per cent of the new Covid-19 cases in the country compared to 16 per cent for the next most common lineage, XBB.1.16, according to the latest estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNN reported. The new variant is a spinoff of the XBB recombinant strain of the Omicron family. According to the WHO, all viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, change over time. Most changes have little to no impact on the virus's properties. However, some changes may affect the virus's properties, such as how easily it spreads, the associated disease severity, or the performance of vaccines, therapeutic medicines, diagnostic tools, or other public health and social measures. In June 2020, the WHO Virus Evolution Working Group was established with a specific focus on SARS-CoV-2 variants, their phenotype and their impact on countermeasures. This later became the Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 Virus Evolution. In late 2020, the emergence of variants that posed an increased risk to global public health prompted WHO to characterize some as variants of interest (VOIs) and variants of concern (VOCs) to prioritize global monitoring and research and to inform and adjust the COVID-19 response. From May 2021 onwards, WHO began assigning simple, easy-to-say labels for key variants. Considerable progress has been made in establishing and strengthening a global system to detect signals of potential VOIs or VOCs and rapidly assess the risk posed by SARS-CoV-2 variants to public health. It remains critical that these systems are maintained, and data are shared, according to good principles and in a timely fashion, as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate at high levels around the world. While monitoring the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 globally, it also remains essential to monitor their spread in animal populations and chronically infected individuals, which are crucial aspects of the global strategy to reduce the occurrence of mutations that have negative public health implications. In March 2023, WHO updated its tracking system and working definitions for variants of concern, variants of interest and variants under monitoring, as per WHO. (ANI)

WHO designates Covid's BA.2.86 as 'variant under monitoring'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Viral infections, including COVID, can cause pink eye.</li><li>Experts are worried that the new "Arcturus" variant may be causing more of the eye irritation.</li></ul>If you're experiencing red, irritated eyes this spring, it may not be seasonal allergies — it could be a sign you have COVID.Doctors and patients alike are experiencing more cases of viral pink eye during COVID infections, as new variants including one <a href="https://theconversation.com/arcturus-what-to-know-about-the-new-covid-variant-omicron-xbb-1-16-204598" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called "Arcturus,"</a> or XBB.1.16, spread across the US. "Observational data suggests that people infected with XBB.1.16 may be more likely to experience conjunctivitis as a symptom of their COVID infection," the <a href="http://ph.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=4372" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles health department</a> said in a release. "Be aware that itchy, watery or red eyes may be a sign of a COVID-19 infection."On Tiktok, one man said the eye irritation he had after a week of severe cold symptoms got so bad that "my eye was pretty much swollen shut for a few days." "I had to take multiple trips to the opthamologist and even the ER at one point," he said, because white, floppy "pseudomembranes" were growing in his eyes, "covering the inside of my eyelids and over my eyes." Opthamologist Vicki Chan said in a TikTok video that pseudomembranes are essentially "white cells and pus and fibrin which has congealed on the eye." They can be usually be <a href="https://casereports.bmj.com/content/12/3/e228538#ref-1:~:text=easily%20peeled%20off%20leaving%20an%20intact%20underlying%20epithelium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">peeled off or pulled out of the eye</a>, and eye doctors may prescribe steroid drops to keep them from coming back afterwards. It's not unusual for people with viral infections to get pink eye, which is <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/conjunctivitis/about/causes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usually caused by a virus</a> or bacteria. Previous studies have suggested <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7264785/#:~:text=The%20overall%20rate%20of%20conjunctivitis%20was%201.1%25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">people with COVID get pink eye about 1%</a> of the time, but that rate could be increasing with the Arcturus variant.Dr. Jessica Kiss said that people might brush off viral pink eye thinking it's just their spring allergies, but she encourages everyone with eye irritation to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@askdrmom/video/7222683153402580266?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">test for COVID</a>. "I think this was the first symptom I had the last time I had COVID," she said on TikTok.

A man discovered a pus-filled 'pseudomembrane' in his eye after getting a COVID-induced pink eye infection

<ul class="summary-list"><li>XBB is a new version of Omicron that is evading existing treatments and immunity.</li><li>It is spreading quickly in Singapore, and virus-watchers are worried it could spread in the US.</li></ul>As Halloween approaches, murmurs of another "nightmare" COVID variant on the way are spooking <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-nightmare-xbb-covid-variant-that-beats-our-immunity-is-finally-here">reporters</a> and Wall Street analysts alike. The new variant is called XBB, and it's already triggering a new wave of infections and hospitalizations in some south Asian countries, including India and Singapore. XBB is just one of "multiple more-immune evasive Omicron subvariants on the rise around the world," infectious disease expert Dr. Celine Gounder, a Senior Fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation, told Insider. But "among the new variants, XBB has the most significant immune evasion properties," market forecasters at Morgan Stanley said Thursday in a memo. Given that we've now seen nearly three full years of COVID variants — and nearly a year of different Omicrons before XBB emerged from them — how worried, really, should we be about this new version of the virus?Experts say we should expect many more infections this fall and winter, including infections in vaccinated, boosted Americans. But there are some simple things you can do to prepare to battle XBB and other evasive COVID variants on the horizon. <h2>What is XBB?</h2><a href="https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/critical-intelligence-unit/sars-cov-2-variants">XBB</a> is a recombinant variant – meaning that it's a combination of two other BA.2 Omicron subvariants (specifically, BA.2.10.1 + BA.2.75).Like other Omicrons we've seen before, XBB is "finding ways to evade the way we get immunity from vaccines and previous infection, with changes on the spike protein," UC Berkeley infectious disease expert John Swartzberg told the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/Is-there-really-a-COVID-nightmare-variant-17517688.php">San Francisco Chronicle</a>. It remains to be seen whether XBB will actually dominate the landscape of US COVID infections this winter, or whether it'll just be one option among the wide buffet of Omicron subvariants.So far, it's not even making a dent on the <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions">radar</a> of US virus watchers, compared to other Omicrons. It's possible that the BA.5 subvariant, <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/renew-houston/health/article/COVID-Q-A-Peter-Hotez-on-new-Scrabble-variants-17514891.php">BQ.1.1.</a>, which is already on the rise in Europe, may turn out to be more of a concern for Americans than XBB ever will. Professor Moritz Gerstung, a computational biologist in Germany, <a href="https://twitter.com/MoritzGerstung/status/1582266906777526274">said recently on Twitter</a> that we might be in for a "tight race" between BQ.1.1 and XBB for the next few months. Both have a slight growth advantage over BA.5, which is the dominant version of COVID right now in the US.<h2>Why is everyone freaking out about XBB?</h2><div type="image" title="cases going up rapidly singapore" height="532" width="729" msid="95016834" hostid="261"></div>In <a href="https://www.gov.sg/article/factually141022-a">Singapore</a>, reinfections and hospitalizations are both up, driven by XBB — though local trends suggest that this version of the virus may also be somewhat milder than BA.5, with a 30% lower risk of hospitalization. Both XBB and BQ.1.1 are also showing resistance to <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-new-monoclonal-antibody-for-treatment-of-covid-19-that-retains-activity-against-omicron-variant-1031187455">monoclonal antibodies</a>, a treatment used for COVID patients.That is why Gounder insists that, whatever happens next, "it's really important for those at the highest risk, including people 50 and over, and people who are immunocompromised, to get boosted right away if they haven't already been this fall." <h2>The new bivalent booster shots should hold up against XBB</h2>Remember: this is still Omicron, and the new boosts from Pfizer and Moderna target BA.4 and BA.5, which are related to XBB. That means existing vaccines should still "protect against severe disease, hospitalization, and death," Gounder said. "But I expect a lot of breakthrough infections despite vaccination" in the coming winter months, she added, whether that's with XBB, or some other evasive new variant. According to <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-additional-dose-totalpop">CDC</a> data, fewer than 15 million Americans have gotten an updated booster so far this fall – that's less than 5% of the country, so there is room for improvement both with:<ul><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-covid-19-booster-shots-side-effects-timing-2022-9">bivalent</a> <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/yes-time-covid-booster-just-190054964.html">boosters</a> in arms (they are free for everyone in the US)</li><li>More strategic <a href="https://www.insider.com/bad-flu-season-when-should-i-get-a-shot-2022-9">masking</a></li></ul>Gounder said she knows Americans are tired of mitigation measures, but says "high-quality masks will be important for reducing transmission, especially in indoor public spaces" this winter.

A new, stealthy coronavirus variant is spreading fast, spooking scientists and Wall Street analysts, but experts say there is cause for optimism

New <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 have accounted for about 70 per cent of new Covid-19 cases in the US as the country's overall caseload has surpassed 100 million, according to the latest estimates by the <keyword id="116293" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention" source="Orion">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</keyword> (<keyword id="6379474" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cdc" source="Orion">CDC</keyword>). BQ.1.1 was estimated to make up about 38.4 per cent of circulating variants in the week ending December 17, and BQ.1 was estimated to make up 30.7 per cent, according to CDC data. The two variants are descendants of Omicron's BA.5 subvariant and they have been growing especially fast since October, reports Xinhua news agency citing the data. At the beginning of October, each of the two new variants accounted for about 1 per cent of new infections. They replaced BA.5 to be dominant strains in mid-November. BA.5 only accounted for 10 per cent of new infections in the latest week. Another Omicron subvariant XBB is also on the rise, accounting for 7.2 per cent of new infections. Researchers found that the BQ and XBB subvariants are "barely susceptible to neutralization" by the vaccines, including the new Omicron boosters, according to a study published recently in the journal <keyword id="6452450" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="cell" source="Orion">Cell</keyword>. This could result in a surge of breakthrough infections and reinfections, though the vaccines have been shown to hold up against severe disease, according to the study. In its latest update on Wednesday, according to data from <keyword id="210763" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="johns-hopkins-university" source="Orion">Johns Hopkins University</keyword>. As of Wednesday, Johns Hopkins University said that country's overall caseload now stood at 100,003,814, while the death toll increased to 1,088,236. With the highest number of cases and deaths, the US remains the worst-hit country in the world. It accounts for more than 15 per cent of the global caseload and over 16 per cent of the overall fatalities. The country's Covid caseload reached 50 million on December 13, 2021, crossed 60 million on January 9, 2022, exceeded 70 million on January 21, topped 80 million on March 29, and surpassed 90 million on July 21. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/lucky-number-in-2023-based-on-date-of-birth-and-zodiac-sign/slidelist/96362537.cms">Lucky Number based on zodiac Sign in 2023</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/tawang-to-get-more-mobile-towers-for-better-connectivity-after-india-china-clash/articleshow/96390882.cms">Tawang to get more mobile towers for better connectivity after India-China clash</a>

New Omicron subvariants account for nearly 70% new Covid cases in US

Poor quality <keyword id="6372996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sleep" source="Orion">sleep</keyword>, including too much or too little shut-eye, daytime sleepiness, and snoring, may be linked to a heightened risk of developing irreversible sight loss (<keyword id="109031" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="glaucoma" source="Orion">glaucoma</keyword>), UK-based researchers have warned in a study published in the open access journal <keyword id="259649" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bmj" source="Orion">BMJ</keyword> Open. Those with glaucoma tended to be older and more likely to be male, an ever smokers, and to have high blood pressure or diabetes than those who weren't diagnosed with the disease, the findings showed. The findings underscore the need for <keyword id="1830520" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sleep-therapy" source="Orion">sleep therapy</keyword> in people at high risk of the disease as well as eye checks among those with chronic sleep disorders to check for early signs of glaucoma. Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and will likely affect an estimated 112 million people worldwide by 2040. 'As sleep behaviours are modifiable, these findings underscore the necessity of sleep intervention for individuals at high risk of glaucoma and potential ophthalmologic screening among individuals with chronic sleep problems to help prevent glaucoma,' the researchers noted. To reach this conclusion, the researchers set out to ascertain the risk of glaucoma among people with different sleep behaviours. Sleep duration was defined as normal (7 to less than 9 hours/day) and as too little or too much, outside this range. <keyword id="27538" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="insomnia" source="Orion">Insomnia</keyword> severity, trouble falling asleep at night or frequent waking, was classified as never/sometimes or usually, whereas subjective daytime sleepiness was categorised as never/rarely, sometimes, or frequent. Medical records and death registration data were used to track the health and survival of all the participants until the first diagnosis of glaucoma (hospital admission), death, emigration, or the end of the monitoring period (March 31, 2021), whichever came first. During an average monitoring period of just over 10.5 years, 8,690 cases of glaucoma were identified. Short or long sleep duration was associated with an 8 per cent heightened risk; insomnia 12 per cent; snoring 4 per cent; and frequent daytime sleepiness (20 per cent). And compared with those with a healthy sleep pattern, snorers and those who experienced daytime sleepiness were 10 per cent more likely to have glaucoma, while insomniacs and those with a short/long sleep duration pattern were 13 per cent more likely to have it. Depression and anxiety, which often go hand in hand with insomnia, may also increase internal eye pressure, possibly because of dysregulated cortisol production, suggest researchers. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/omicron-variants-xbb-bq-1-causing-20-30-of-covid-19-infections-in-india-say-doctors/articleshow/95228125.cms">Omicron variants XBB, BQ.1 causing 20-30% of Covid-19 infections in India, say doctors</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/your-social-behaviour-is-connected-to-your-gut-as-well-as-brain/articleshow/95248029.cms">Your social behaviour is connected to your gut as well as brain</a>

You Searched For "xbb" and got 11 results

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WHO designates Covid's BA.2.86 as 'variant under monitoring'

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A man discovered a pus-filled 'pseudomembrane' in his eye after getting a COVID-induced pink eye infection

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A new, stealthy coronavirus variant is spreading fast, spooking scientists and Wall Street analysts, but experts say there is cause for optimism

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Poor quality sleep may put you at high glaucoma risk

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