A highly infectious new covid subvariant that experts believe will drive the next wave of the virus in the UK is making up a significant proportion of cases in Wirral.
The XBB.1.5 subvariant of the Omicron variant has caused a surge in cases in the United States and there are concerns that the UK could see a similar wave of cases.
The World Health Organization's senior epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said XBB.1.5 is the most transmissible Omicron sub-variant that has been detected so far. It spreads rapidly because of the mutations it contains, allowing it to adhere to cells and replicate easily
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In data first reported by The Independent, Sanger Institute sampling suggests that 4.3 per cent of cases in England in the week leading up to December 17 were down to the XBB.1.5 subvariant. Scientists and experts are warning that the country is not prepared to deal with another wave caused by XBB.1.5.
Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent Sage, a group of scientists working together to give advice to the government, told The Independent that the variant was both immunosuppressive and highly transmissible – which means it is likely to become this winter's next dominant covid wave.
The Sanger Institute data shows that for one part of Merseyside, the XBB.1.5 variant is already making up a significant proportion of covid cases. The numbers suggest that in the week to December 17, a third of all covid cases in Wirral were caused by the variant. Wirral was one of the areas of the country with the highest proportion of cases from the variant along with Tower Hamlets in London.
The variant has been labelled "The Kraken" by some due to its highly transmissible nature, but while the World Health Organisation says the subvariant has a "growth advantage" over other sub-variants, there is no indication so far that it is more serious or harmful than previous Omicron variants.
Speaking about XBB.1.5, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organisation, said: “We are concerned about its growth advantage in particular in some countries in Europe and in the US... particularly the Northeast part of the United States, where XBB.1.5 has rapidly replaced other circulating variants.
"Our concern is how transmissible it is...and the more this virus circulates, the more opportunities it will have to change.”
The UK Health Security Agency is due to release a report on variants spreading in the UK next week. Wirral Council was contacted for a response.
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