UK says new Omicron variants could fuel new Covid infections | World news
Bloomberg | | Posted by Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao
Health authorities in the UK have identified a number of omicron variants that could cause rising waves of Covid-19 infections as winter progresses.
The UK Health Protection Agency says it is studying the so-called BQ.1 and XBB subtypes of omicron and several new variants of the BA.2 family.
The health agency warned that newly emerging BA.2 variants have the potential to drive new waves of infections as lab studies show they can suppress existing immunity.
“It is not unexpected to see new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge,” said Meera Chand, UKHSA director of clinical and emerging infection, in a statement. “Vaccination is our best defense against future waves of Covid-19.”
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Britain’s growing focus on these new isolates comes a week after European health authorities said that subvariant BQ.1 and sublineage BQ.1.1 will likely cause another wave of Covid infections across the continent towards the end of this year.
Read more: New Omicron Subvariant Expected to Drive Covid Wave in Europe
BQ.1 variants are also gaining ground in the US, where they are responsible for an estimated 16.6% of cases, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Meanwhile, the XBB variant is thought to have contributed to the recent spike in cases in Singapore, the UK Health Protection Agency said.
The UK is pushing through a new round of boosts to people aged 50 or over and those with weak immunity to prevent a surge in Covid disease and severe winter deaths. Cases have seen a spike since the summer but recorded declines in the last two weeks, according to government surveillance data.
