Covid Omicron XBB variant: Amid ever-growing concerns over the massive Covid surge in China, claims are being made on social media regarding Covid Omicron XBB variant being five times more dangerous and having higher mortality rate than the Delta variant that wreaked havoc across the world, including India.
The viral message claims that Omicron XBB variant is so dangerous that it can not be detected through RT-PCR test and also has no peculiar symptoms.
FACT CHECK
However, these claims are baseless as experts have described the XBB, which itself is a sub-variant, as less lethal than Delta. XBB is a recombinant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.27 sub-lineages. Also, the XBB variant is not new and was first reported on August 13 this year.
"Several misleading claims related to XBB variant of #COVID19 are getting viral on social media," a tweet from PIB Fact Check handle stated.
WHO 'very concerned' about China Covid surge
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is worried over the Covid surge in China raising concerns over lagging vaccination rate in the country that could lead to millions of people getting the infection.
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“WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China with increasing reports of severe disease,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing. He added that while COVID deaths have dropped more than 90% since their global peak, there were still too many uncertainties about the virus to conclude that the pandemic is over.
Some scientists have warned that the unchecked spread of COVID-19 in China could spur the emergence of new variants, which might unravel progress made globally to contain the pandemic. “Vaccination is the exit strategy from omicron,” WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said.
(With inputs from agencies)
