''Globally, #XBB116 and #EG5 are the most prevalent #VOIs and have been reported from 106 and 53 countries, respectively. In epidemiological week 31 (31 July to 6 August 2023), XBB.1.16 and EG.5 accounted for 23.9% and 23.8% of sequences in comparison to 23.0% and 21.7% in week 27 (3 to 9 July 2023), respectively (Table 3).''

''Data from July 31 to August 06, a rise in the incidence of several #VOIs has been observed, especially those belonging to #EG5 (a subvariant of #XBB192 with the additional Spike mutation: F456L), #XBB116 and #XBB1166 (with Spike mutation F456L). In particular, among sequenced viruses, #EG5 represented 32,4% (#EG51, 18,9%; #EG511,
13,5%); #XBB116 (18,9%) and XBB.1.16.6, 16,2%.''

RT @EnemyInAState
NEW Study from the hard-hit Maharashtra area of India shows BRUTAL: #SARS3 #Covid #XBB116 #Arcturus strain has a fatality rate of 1 in 40 with a staggering 1 in 3 needing oxygen, and nearly 30% being hospitalised with the new strain:

[Correspondence] Virological characteristics of the #SARS-CoV-2 #omicron #XBB116 variant https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(23)00278-5/fulltext?rss=yes

RT @EnemyInAState
NEW Study from the hard-hit Maharashtra area of India shows BRUTAL: #SARS3 #Covid #XBB116 #Arcturus strain has a fatality rate of 1 in 40 with a staggering 1 in 3 needing oxygen, and nearly 30% being hospitalised with the new strain:

RT @HibiscusInsular
Studie von 297 Patienten mit #XBB116 #Arcturus #Corona Variante in Indien zeigt fast 30% Hospitalisierungsrate und 2,5% Todesrate. Wenn das bei uns auch so kommen sollte, könnte das Gesundheitssystem das nicht stemmen. Wieviel Prozent XBB16 haben wir derzeit in Deutschland? https://twitter.com/EnemyInAState/status/1653567155785408513

COVID's future: mini-waves rather than seasonal surges

Three years after the start of the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 shows no signs of settling into a seasonal pattern of spread, like influenza has.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-01437-8

#Covid #Covid19 #SARSCov2 #Corona #Wave #seasonality #influenza #xbb116

“Brits urged to wear face masks again as new Arcturus Covid strain spreads across UK”

UK’s The Daily Mirror is by no means a reliable source of serious information, but this time, they quote Stephen Griffin, co-chair of Independent SAGE, saying, “people should go back to regularly testing as well as wearing masks.”

Reason is the continuing rise of variant XBB.1.16 that, according to another article (2nd link), “has seemingly brought on unique symptoms not previously seen in Covid strains.” Five British people have died from this variant in India.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/brits-urged-wear-face-masks-29836374

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/breaking-five-brits-die-new-29790459

#COVID #COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #XBB116 #COVISIsNotOver #WearAMask

Mildes Covid macht milde Infektionen mit unkontrolliert milden Membranen im Auge.
---
RT @EnemyInAState
WARNING ABOUT #XBB116 #SARS3 #Arcturus COVID EYES FROM TIKTOKER WHO ENDED UP HAVING 'bleeding eyes' which Drs had to 'rip out of my face' after 'mild' cold-like symptoms to begin with...

h/t @AprilDalaman https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1652766912051396608
https://twitter.com/EnemyInAState/status/1652766912051396608

RT @RWittenbrink
Laut ZOE Daten steigt die Zahl der täglichen #COVID19-Neuinfektionen in UK wieder deutlich an, auf zuletzt über 74.000 am 27. April. Aktuell sind mehr als 1 Million Menschen in UK mit #SARSCoV2 infiziert.

https://health-study.joinzoe.com/data

#CovidIsNotOver #Corona #MaskUp #CleanAir #XBB116 https://twitter.com/atipico1996/status/1652350453349228544

RT @ViktoriaKeller_
Interessiert das jemanden in der Bundesregierung, @RegSprecher, @Bundeskanzler, @Karl_Lauterbach? Augen zu & durch scheint das Motto der #Ampelkoalition zu sein. „Thousands are dying“ auch in Deutschland. Wie können Sie untätig bleiben? #CovidIsNotOver #XBB116 #RegierungsVersagen https://twitter.com/mvankerkhove/status/1652177940614901763

RT @ViktoriaKeller_
Interessiert das jemanden in der Bundesregierung, @RegSprecher, @Bundeskanzler, @Karl_Lauterbach? Augen zu & durch scheint das Motto der #Ampelkoalition zu sein. „Thousands are dying“ auch in Deutschland. Wie können Sie untätig bleiben? #CovidIsNotOver #XBB116 #RegierungsVersagen https://twitter.com/mvankerkhove/status/1652177940614901763

🇬🇧 Britons should start wearing face masks on public transport again, experts have urged, as super-infectious COVID Arcturus (XBB.1.16) variant sweeps the country.

#COVID19UK #Arcturus #XBB116
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/brits-urged-wear-face-masks-29836374

"Brits urged to wear face masks again as new Arcturus Covid strain spreads across UK" https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/brits-urged-wear-face-masks-29836374 #COVID #Arcturus #XBB116 #COVID19 "Face masks should be worn again on public transport to stop the spread of super-infectious Covid variant Arcturus, experts claimed." The English are especially skittish about masks, so this headline is noteworthy.

There's also a link to the 23B (XBB.1.16) @nextstrain
focal build: http://nextstrain.org/groups/neherlab/ncov/23B.Omicron

Here, we can zoom in on the clade & get a closer look at how 23B sequences are distributed around the world, & their diversity. 🌏🌍

5/10

#XBB116

As I covered earlier, 23B (XBB.1.16) is descended from the recombinant 22F (XBB) variant, with some additional mutations. You can read more about how it evolved & acquired those mutations below 👇🏻.

3/10

---
RT @firefoxx66
I've updated my #SARSCoV2 #XBB figure once more, to show how it's evolved from XBB (22F) to XBB.1 & XBB.1.16 #XBB116.

XBB.1.16 ('#Arcturus') has additional Spike muts at 180V, 478R & 486P (this is the same advanta…
https://twitter.com/firefoxx66/status/1648588097381101570

🎉http://CoVariants.org Update!🎉

23B (XBB.1.16) is now available on CoVariants! It's visible as part of Per Country & Per Variant plots, on the shared mutation page - and of course, has a page of its own.

1/10

#XBB116 #23B #Arcturus
📷

RT @RWittenbrink
noch immer und ist in der Lage, neue Todeswellen auszulösen.“

#CovidIsNotOver #COVID19 #LongCovid #MECFS #MaskUp #CleanAir #ImpfenSchuetzt #XBB116

‘Of concern’: New COVID variant hits Australia.

University of South Australia professor of biostatistics Adrian Esterman said it was “very difficult” to get hold of data on Arcturus (XBB.1.16), but early indications suggested it could be as much as 20% more transmissible than the recent Kraken (XBB.1.5) variant.

#COVID19Aus #XBB116 #Arcturus

https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/health/of-concern-new-covid-variant-hits-australia/news-story/8dd7a4988609afa8d7b966b0be5afb86

New COVID strain Arcturus (XBB.1.16) has already killed 5 Brits

🔹New super-infectious COVID Arcturus (XBB.1.16) strain now makes up 1 in 40 new cases amid fears it could trigger fresh wave

#COVID19UK #XBB116 #Arcturus
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12006507/Arcturus-killed-5-Brits-New-Covid-strain-makes-one-40-new-cases.html