The World Health Organisation has warned the new COVID variant XBB.1.5 is the 'most transmissible yet', with the 'recombinant' new strain of Omicron nicknamed 'kraken' - but what does that all mean, and how worried should people be?
The World Health Organisation has warned the new COVID variant XBB.1.5 is the"most transmissible yet", with the"recombinant" new strain of Omicron nicknamed"kraken" - but what does that all mean, and how worried should people be?XBB.1.5 was first identified in the US in October and catapulted to people's attention in the new year when it was revealed 40% of infections in the country were caused by the variant.
"We've been using mythological creature names for variants that are being discussed outside of technical discussions." This is a hybrid of two variants that is formed when both infect one person at the same time, and recombine to make something new.The World Health Organisation has said XBB.1.5 is"the most transmissible sub-variant which has been detected yet".
XBB can evade the body's immune system and XBB.1.5 is just as skilled at doing so - with the added bonus of being better at"binding" to cells, meaning it can spread more easily.
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