What to know about ‘kraken’ XBB.1.5 COVID-19 omicron subvariant

A brand new COVID-19 subvariant of omicron, XBB.1.5, is distinctive due to how briskly it spreads. It’s quickly outcompeting other strains of the virus in areas the place it has been spreading, and is now the dominant pressure within the Northeast U.S., the place XBB.1.5 was first discovered in October 2022.

Some individuals on-line have taken to calling the brand new subvariant “kraken” following its fast explosion within the Northeast United States.

VERIFY has put collectively 4 quick details with what it’s best to know about XBB.1.5.

XBB.1.5 is a subvariant of omicron, which is itself a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. 

So what makes XBB.1.5 completely different from the unique SARS-CoV-2? XBB.1.5 is the results of the virus present process many mutations over the previous three years, most of which change how effectively the virus spreads, and the severity of the illness it causes.

What makes XBB.1.5 distinctive among the many variants and subvariants of the unique virus is that it has extra mutations to evade immunity than any of its predecessors, Johns Hopkins University says.

It’s extremely contagious, says William Schaffner, M.D., a professor of infectious illnesses at Vanderbilt University, however it isn’t producing more severe disease than earlier strains of the virus.

2. Where is XBB.1.5 spreading?

As of Jan. 11, 2023, XBB.1.5 is primarily within the Northeastern United States, notably in New York, the place the subvariant was first detected. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), XBB.1.5 is believed to make up greater than 70% of instances within the Northeastern U.S., however solely about 28% of instances throughout the entire United States. That makes it the second-most prevalent pressure within the nation. BQ.1.1 is presently the one pressure extra pervasive, after simply two months because it first started spreading.

But specialists say XBB.1.5 could turn out to be the dominant COVID-19 pressure throughout the entire U.S., and should even unfold quickly throughout the globe.

3. How infectious is XBB.1.5?

Experts imagine XBB.1.5 is extraordinarily infectious, each due to its transmissibility and its potential to evade immunity from each earlier infections and vaccinations.

The WHO says XBB.1.5 poses the next danger of reinfection for individuals who have been sick with earlier strains of omicron, in contrast to different presently circulating subvariants of omicron akin to BA.5. And though lab studies suggest that vaccination provides vital safety in opposition to critical illness, it won’t provide as a lot safety in opposition to delicate an infection from XBB.1.5, Johns Hopkins University says.

An article within the scientific journal Nature explains that this potential to dodge immunity comes from a mutation inherited from the primary model of XBB. That model of the pressure then mutated once more to extra simply connect to cells within the nostril and throat, creating XBB.1.5.

The elevated potential to enter the respiratory system means XBB.1.5 spreads from particular person to particular person extra successfully than its ancestors.

4. What are XBB.1.5 infections like?

So far, XBB.1.5 infections are similar to those caused by other omicron subvariants, Andrea Garcia, J.D., wrote in an American Medical Association article. That means its illness is usually milder than another variants akin to Delta.

“So far the symptoms of XBB.1.5 seem to be more cold-like than flu-like, especially in people who have been vaccinated or have had COVID-19 before, but it is too soon to say this definitively,” Gavi, the worldwide vaccine alliance, has reported.

These signs sometimes embody cough, runny nostril, sore throat, fever and muscle ache, in accordance to the Mayo Clinic.

“Now, there are two very fortunate things about XBB.1.5,” Schaffner mentioned. “And the first is that it is not producing more severe disease. Excellent. And also, our currently available vaccines continue to provide substantial protection against severe disease — disease bad enough to require hospitalization.”