New sub-variants of Covid-19 are already having an effect and European experts fear the increase in infection cases seen in recent weeks. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has already stated that everything points to a new epidemic wave, also driven by the mutations observed in SARS-CoV-2, in new sub-variants such as BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has already warned that these subspecies are on the rise and could account for 50% of all new infections in Europe in late November.
All new ‘versions’ of Covid currently in circulation are descendants of the Omicron variant, and are competing with each other to become the dominant variant. They have introduced mutations that give them a greater possibility of escaping protection from vaccines or a previous infection.
“Viruses and pathogens are constantly adapting to escape the immune pressure we are under,” Albert Koe, a physician and epidemiologist at Yale University School of Public Health, assures The New York Times.
This is the case for the new XBB sub-variant, which is already being monitored by the EMA, as the first cases were detected in Singapore, at the beginning of the month. This new subspecies has already been named the “Nightmare Variant”.
It is rapidly expanding across Asia as well as in some European Union countries. It resulted from the combination of two sub-variants that share genetic material, making it more “escape” immunogenic than the most resistant variant to date, BA 2.75.
Experts also refer to this subspecies as the “Griffin,” a reference to the mythical creature with two parts: the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle.
But they call it a “nightmare” because, according to experts interviewed by The New York Times, it has more antibody resistance than previous ones. Doctors and researchers suggest that this variant would be responsible for the increase in Covid-19 cases in Singapore or India.
Added to this concern is the transfer of the BQ.1.1 subtype variant, known as ‘Cão do Inferno’, which also demonstrates the ability to evade XBB-like antibodies.
As with other variants, the symptoms caused by the XBB sub-variant of Covid-19 are very similar: the most common are cough, fatigue, sore throat, headache or muscle aches, runny nose, stuffy nose, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Taste and/or smell.
According to Alfredo Corel, an immunologist, these new sub-variants of Omicron have three verified symptoms that were not common in the earlier ones: anorexia, loss of voice, and tachycardia.
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