New XBB COVID sub-variants reported in China: Report

Beijing: New XBB COVID sub-variants have been reported in China. In the past week, there were 12 new sub-variants detected in China, state-based SHINE reported.

China from December 1 to April 20 reported 32,993 effective genomic sequences of domestic cases. All were confirmed as Omicron variants covering 117 sub-variants, with BA.5.2 and BF.7 as dominants, according to the weekly report issued by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The centre detected 603 cases of variants under strict inspection, including the 12 sub-variants being found for the first time, according to SHINE.

A total of 42 cases with XBB.1.16 were reported in the previous and this weekly report. The 15 cases of Omicron sub-variant XBB.1.16 were reported for the first time in the last report on April 15. The other cases were in this week's report.

According to SHINE, XBB.1.16, referred to as "arcturus," has become the dominant strain in India and its prevalence is rising in the United States, where the highly transmissible sub-variant XBB.1.5 remains the dominant strain.

Chinese authorities have said the public needn't be overly concerned as XBB.1.16 remains at a low prevalence in the nation.