Two new cases of COVID-19 Omicron sub-variant HK.3 infection have recently been detected in Thailand, but both patients have already recovered and their symptoms were not serious, said Dr. Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Medical Sciences Department today (Wednesday).

He said that the two cases, a 65-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl, were members of the same family in Bangkok who were diagnosed with HK.3 and have already recovered, adding that it will take about two weeks to determine whether the new sub-variant is highly transmissible.

He disclosed that, during the past two weeks, 15 cases of the EG.5 sub-variant had been detected, plus 8 more cases more recently, as the sub-variant is spreading with the likelihood that it may replace XBB.1.16 as the dominant sub-variant in Thailand.

According to GISAID, worldwide cases of XBB.1.5 are declining while, XBB.1.16 and BA.2.75 cases remain stable, with EG.5 emerging as the dominant sub-variant, said Dr. Supakit.

As for the BA.2.86 sub-variant, he said that it was detected in waste water in Bangkok in July, but it has not been found in humans yet, although the sub-variant is being kept under watch.