A new Covid variant, now known among medical experts as 'XBB' is pulling the world to a state of high alert, as it is considered one of the most contagious strains of the pandemic ever detected.
According to Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, XBB is a variant of Omicron which has the capability to spread fastly.
Around two weeks back, it has been reported that this variant has reached India too, and it is still unclear how deeply it has penetrated among the people in the country.
Medical experts state that the XBB variant is a hybrid version of two strains of the BA.2 form of Omicron.
Several reports suggest that this new variant is already present in nearly 20 countries, and they even worry that the contagious nature of this strain could lead to a fresh wave of the pandemic in these nations.
A pre-print study carried out by researchers in China recently claimed that the XBB variant is capable to evade the immunity offered by vaccines. The report also added that antibody drugs like Evusheld and bebtelovimab may also not be very effective against XBB.
"These variants are evolving to evade protection," added Russo.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, symptoms of XBB infection are very similar to normal Covid infections which include cough, nausea, fever, shortness of breath, headache, muscle aches, and sore throat.
If symptoms get worse, it is always necessary to contact a medical expert, as the world still has not learned much about this strain.
