Explainer | How worried should you be about new Covid subvariant Arcturus reported in Hong Kong?
- Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 has caused spike in infections in India, causing mask mandate to be reintroduced
- Data shows prevalence of Covid-19 slightly increased in Hong Kong, with level of virus detected in sewage surveillance increasing
A new Covid-19 subvariant, Arcturus, has come under the spotlight after it was reported in more countries and regions, including Hong Kong.
India was experiencing a spike in infections fuelled by the subvariant and a mask mandate was reintroduced in part of the country.
The Post looked into the matter to determine whether the public should be worried.
1. What is Arcturus, the new Covid-19 subvariant?
First detected in January, Arcturus, known as XBB.1.16, is a Covid-19 Omicron subvariant.
It is listed as a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization, indicating there are genetic changes that could affect virus characteristics and “early signals of growth advantage”, with enhanced surveillance required.
According to the WHO, Arcturus has shown increasing trends globally, though there were no reports of increased severity. A recent laboratory study on Arcturus showed an increased growth rate compared to subvariants XBB and XBB.1.5, but their immune evasion characteristics were similar.
