A Covid variant that is more contagious and surging across the US has been discovered in Ireland.
Variant XBB.1.5, known as Kraken, has been deemed "concerning" by health officials. There have been less than five cases discovered here according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
But the variant has a transmission rate that is 113% higher than other variants that are found in Europe. There are concerns that the new variant will have an "increasing" effect on the number of cases on the continent, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said.
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According to experts the mutation, a sub-variant of Omicron, allows it to replicate more easily after attaching to cells. Although it is expected to spread quickly worldwide it is not considered a new crisis in the three-year pandemic.
Symptoms caused by Kraken are said to be similar to those caused by Omicron. It has now been detected in at least 30 countries so far.
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