The new sub-variant of Omicron XBB.1.5 which rages across the Atlantic would have a stronger “immune escape” and would be more infectious, relays TF1 Info.
By The Point.fr
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HASs several countries take measures concerning travelers from China in the face of the surge in cases in the country since the authorities’ decision to relax the strict zero Covid policy, a new variant of Covid-19 worries across the Atlantic. XBB.1.5 spread very quickly in the United States, reports TF1 Info. On the way to becoming the majority in a few weeks, it already represents more than 40% of contaminations in this country and hospital admissions of Covid patients started to rise again more than a month ago.
This new variant has been circulating for several weeks in Asia, but the United States is the first country where XBB.1.5 is progressing so much. At the origin of this rapid progression: a mutation of the virus, which causes what scientists call an “immune escape”. It “manages to more easily infect people who already have immunity, therefore those who have already been infected or who have been vaccinated”, indicated Mircea Sofonea, epidemiologist at the PCCEI, from the University of Montpellier, with our colleagues. “In addition, there is a suspicion of increased contagiousness of this sub-variant, which binds more easily to human cells,” added the Inserm researcher.
Towards a 10th epidemic wave?
XBB.1.5 is already circulating in France, but at very low levels. Only 15 cases have been identified by sequencing to date. “If a new variant, whatever it is, were to impose itself in Europe, it would be responsible in France for a 10e epidemic wave, with a certain number of morbidities and deaths and therefore a certain pressure on the hospital system, but not commensurate with what we have known before, ”said Bruno Mégarbane, head of the resuscitation service of Lariboisière. , in Paris.READ ALSO China: three years later, Wuhan keeps the secrets of Covid-19
To date, there is no data suggesting that XBB.1.5 may be more virulent than previous Omicron variants. The history of virus mutations shows that they lead to approximately the same risks of serious forms despite the immunity which varies over time, due to the booster vaccinations carried out and the infections suffered.
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