A brand new omicron subvariant is poised to develop into dominant in Europe and can in all probability drive one other improve in Covid-19 circumstances, the European Centre for Illness Prevention and Management mentioned.
The BQ.1 subvariant, and its sublineage BQ.1.1, will in all probability dominate in Europe by mid-November to the start of December and assist ship circumstances up in “coming weeks to months,” the company mentioned on Friday. The subvariants are additionally gaining floor within the US, the place they’re liable for an estimated 16.6% of circumstances, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention mentioned.
The ECDC is the newest in a collection of public well being businesses to flag the brand new subvariant, which has proven a capability to sidestep the response of the immune system in lab assessments. There’s no proof that the ensuing infections are extra extreme than those who outcome from the omicron variants which have dominated so far, the ECDC mentioned.
The subvariant is expounded to BA.5, the present dominant sublineage. BQ.1.1 has been present in 29 international locations, the World Well being Group mentioned this week.