A warning has been issued as an extremely transmissible Covid variant is spreading across the globe at a "fast pace".
Health experts are sharing concerns as the XBB.1.16 strain, also known as Arcturus, has reached at least 33 countries across the world. The rapid spread of the strain has the potential to bring mask wearing requirements back to the UK, experts worry.
Numbers of cases continue to rise worldwide with symptoms of the new subvariant including a general feeling of unhappiness (malaise), conjunctivitis, cough and fever.
In India, where the coronavirus variant it believed to have derived from, health officials have been put on alert with mask wearing already returning across the country.
"The one thing that we understand about SARS coronavirus is that there is no predicting this virus," said Dr Javeed Siddiqui, infectious disease specialist, co-founder and chief medical officer at TelMed2U to the Express.
"We are well aware, but this virus continues to mutate and develop new variants. We now have a variant that is increasing across 33 countries, including the United States at a fast pace."
"Several research laboratories indicated that this variant is up to 1.2x more transmissible than its predecessor XBB.1.5", he added.
The California based expert also insists that the US and UK should bring back mask wearing requirements on public transport and large gathering to help reduce infection risk, especially in terns of vulnerable people.
The recommendations follow five deaths in the UK associated with Arcturus Covid.
Dr Siddiqui said: "Clinical data indicates that vaccinated individuals tend to have a reduced duration and intensity of infection.
"If you have not yet received the bivalent Covid booster dose, I urge you to do so as soon as possible.
"Masking, social distancing, and vaccination really do work, and are among the best tools to reduce your risk of infection."
The strain was first reported in January 2023, with the World Health Organization (WHO) deeming it a Variant of Interest on April 17.
As of last month, at least 135 cases were identified in the UK, with figures likely to have increase since.
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