The Thai Medical Sciences Department has detected the country’s first infection of the COVID-19 Omicron XBC variant, or Deltacron. The patient has, however, already recovered from the disease, said Dr. Supakit Sirilak, the department’s director-general, today (Wednesday).
According to GISAID, as of November 20th, 153 XBC cases have been recorded worldwide, but there have been no clear signs that the variant, which is a recombinant between the Delta variant and the BA.2 sub-lineage of Omicron, is more severe than the other COVID-19 variants or sub-variants.
Dr. Supakit said that, between November 19th and 25th, the Medical Sciences Department monitored 299 cases and discovered that Omicron BA.2.75 variant infections have increased 63.3% from the previous week, with most of the cases being locally acquired infections.
He disclosed that the department had found more than 468 cases of BA.2.75 variant infection and its sub-variants, such as BA.2.75.2, BA.2.75.51 and BA.2.75.1.2, while cases of BN.1 variant and it sub-variant infections have increased fourfold from the previous week.
According to the worldwide situation weekly report, the Omicron BA.5 variant and its sub-variants account for 72.1%of all new infections. BQ.1 variant and its sub-variant cases have increased by 23.1% from the previous week.
Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, deputy permanent secretary of public health, meanwhile, said that COVID-19 infections arelikely to increase during the cold season, as he urged people,who had their most recent vaccination more than four months ago, to get a booster to increase their immunity.
