White House cautions against panic as XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant spreads -Peace

[HangLow]

CDC: Omicron Subvariant XBB.1.5 Responsible for 88% of New COVID-19 Infections​

The CDC variant tracker is not yet listing XBB.1.16, though it has been documented in the U.S.
By Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder April 7, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-04-07/cdc-omicron-subvariant-xbb-1-5-responsible-for-88-of-new-covid-19-infections

CDC: XBB.1.5 Causing 88% of Cases

https://www.usnews.com/object/image/00000187-5d81-d647-ab87-dd89bf630000/gettyimages-1472363093.jpg?update-time=1680901114686&size=responsive970

A sign promoting COVID-19 testing sits along a Manhattan street on March 09, 2023, in New York City. (SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES)

Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 is driving the vast majority of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. but shows signs of declining, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Related: Report: FDA to Authorize Another Updated COVID-19 Booster Shot for Some

XBB.1.5 was responsible for 88% of new infections this week, according to CDC estimates. The subvariant plateaued in recent weeks and declined 1 percentage point from the previous week.

Another omicron subvariant, XBB.1.9.1, has started to show slight growth, increasing from 4% of cases last week to 5% this week as coronavirus infections and hospitalizations continue to decline in the U.S.

But the CDC is not yet listing the omicron subvariant that the World Health Organization recently said is “one to watch,” though the strain has been found in the U.S.

XBB.1.16 has been reported in 27 countries, according to WHO.

 

[cAPSLOCK]

Biden signs bill ending COVID-19 national emergency

The White House had previously voiced its opposition to the bill.

www.cbsnews.com

The above posted in interest of the spirit of the thread. No matter agree or disagree it is a monumental thing...

 

[HangLow]

‘Arcturus,’ a COVID variant sweeping India, is now in the U.S., the CDC says—and it’s coming in hot. What it Means for the Future of the Pandemic​

‘Arcturus,’ a COVID variant sweeping India, is now in the U.S., the CDC says—and it’s coming in hot. What it means for the future of the pandemic

XBB.1.16, dubbed “Arcturus” by variant trackers, is estimated to be behind 7% of COVID cases in the country this week, according to the CDC's Nowcast, a viral forecast released each Friday by the national public health agency.

fortune.com

A new variant is taking off in India with both cases and deaths rising...
First symptom? Pink eye...

 

[HangLow]

 

[HangLow]

The latest COVID-19 variant to hit Alberta is no cause for alarm, experts say, but they're tracking it​

XBB.1.16 accounts for up to 7% of coronavirus strains in the province​

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/new-covid-variant-alberta-no-alarm-1.6821752

Jennifer Lee · CBC News · Posted: Apr 25, 2023, 3:32 PM CDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

The province says Alberta identified its first case of XBB.1.16 on March 31. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve, yet another new subvariant has appeared in Alberta.

XBB.1.16 is growing in prevalence in a number of countries, including India, where most cases have been detected so far.

According to Alberta Health, the first case was detected in the province on March 31. By April 9, 11 cases had been confirmed.

Testing, though, is not as robust as it was earlier in the pandemic. The province closed PCR swabbing facilities at the end of March and now conducts full genome sequencing to track variants on a subset of cases.

A spokesperson for the department said XBB.1.16 continues to circulate in low numbers and accounts for five to seven percent of those sequenced cases.

• World Health Organization updates variant names to track Omicron's rapid evolution
• Alberta scales back COVID variant surveillance nearly 3 years into the pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) designated XBB.1.16 a "variant of interest" last week, noting its growth advantage and ability to escape immunity.

But the WHO said it does not appear to be causing more severe disease and does not appear to pose an additional health risk.

"I don't think it's a reason to panic or be highly worried," said Dr. Lorne Tyrrell, director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology at the University of Alberta.

"It may come in and be a little more easy to spread and then it might become the more dominant variant, but I don't think we're going to see a lot more disease with it."

 

[Pluto]

And all this time there are 2 things that stand out.

1. Biden said he would stop Covid in its tracks.

2- Biden said that Covid was over.

And there are two other things that stand out. One, is that without the cooperation by those who refused to get vaccinated, the responsibility for stopping this disease is disingenuously/unfairly placed upon the shoulders of Biden.

And two. That Biden said it was over, again, depended upon whether or not those who've mixed in their political bias along with relying upon their religious 'cures', will step away long enough to notice those are the very reasons why so many people have died when all that was necessary was a simple vaccination. But noooo... enter in myocardia, magnetism, DNA corruption (antlers), extraordinary mandates (forced vaccinations), and a host of other non-existent 'theories', and we'll continue to drag covid out for as long as possible.

 

[VySky]

And there are two other things that stand out. One, is that without the cooperation by those who refused to get vaccinated, the responsibility for stopping this disease is disingenuously/unfairly placed upon the shoulders of Biden.

And two. That Biden said it was over, again, depended upon whether or not those who've mixed in their political bias along with relying upon their religious 'cures', will step away long enough to notice those are the very reasons why so many people have died when all that was necessary was a simple vaccination. But noooo... enter in myocardia, magnetism, DNA corruption (antlers), extraordinary mandates (forced vaccinations), and a host of other non-existent 'theories', and we'll continue to drag covid out for as long as possible.

Yea, I would be upset to if I fell for the government propaganda to get vaccinated. Every time the WH and its minions leaned on me, I pushed back harder. For whatever reason, the government made a mountain out of a mole hill. The individual risk for the majority of Americans was insignificant and well within the parameters of acceptable risk. The ultimate price we paid for our response to Covid was ultimately cost prohibitive. We need a redux.

 

[Fledermaus]

Yea, I would be upset to if I fell for the government propaganda to get vaccinated. Every time the WH and its minions leaned on me, I pushed back harder. For whatever reason, the government made a mountain out of a mole hill. The individual risk for the majority of Americans was insignificant and well within the parameters of acceptable risk. The ultimate price we paid for our response to Covid was ultimately cost prohibitive. We need a redux.

Intentional ignorance is noted.

 

[bomberfox]

The beast that China made strikes again.

I refuse to believe this thing is mutating naturally. Someone souped it up.

Without evidence that it has been souped up and America’s totally batshit insane response i can totally believe its natural. We were warning about this very damn thing. The “natural immunity” covidiots forgot that viruses mutate the more they spread.

 

[bomberfox]

I’m just waiting for the variant that you catch just by looking at someone who has Covid.

The more a virus spreads the greater ability for mutation. Its simple goddamn virology.

 

[bomberfox]

I just read a story about the Chinese. Many of the youth are intentionally contracting Covid to get it over with.
Seems most are shocked at how badly they suffer with it, expecting it would be like a cold.
Sad thing is, this has caused a spike in deaths of the elderly as they spread it (just like in the west) and they don't seem to realize they are not protected from the variants after doing this.

Its really insane in modern day we think we have to reinvent the damn wheel everytime something new comes up.

 

[Pippi Longstock]

 

[Pluto]

Yea, I would be upset to if I fell for the government propaganda to get vaccinated. Every time the WH and its minions leaned on me, I pushed back harder. For whatever reason, the government made a mountain out of a mole hill. The individual risk for the majority of Americans was insignificant and well within the parameters of acceptable risk. The ultimate price we paid for our response to Covid was ultimately cost prohibitive. We need a redux.

Another words, you've conveniently discounted well over a million deaths in the US alone because in your mind they were not only 'insignificant' in numbers, but an 'acceptable risk' thanks to propaganda you've taken in through your reliance upon social media. The cost prohibitive part only arrived because some orange buffoon not only downplayed a 'real' pandemic, but was hell bent on making damn sure we weren't prepared for it. - But then, I am most certain whichever route you chose to rely upon made sure to lend you a false sense of empowerment as in - "Every time the WH and its minions leaned on me, I pushed back harder" - fallacy.

 

[Parrish]

Get your boosters. People depend on you to protect yourself and others.

 

[molten_dragon]

This is the first I'd heard about it. I'm not at all concerned. The pandemic is over and I'm back to normal life.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

The beast that China made strikes again.

I refuse to believe this thing is mutating naturally. Someone souped it up.

Why no other virus mutates which is why we have a cure for the common cold and just one vaccine for the flu virus ( just one because it has no variants)

 

[HangLow]

​

That is really great on full screen...
-Peace

 

[PoliSciPulse]

I just read a story about the Chinese. Many of the youth are intentionally contracting Covid to get it over with.
Seems most are shocked at how badly they suffer with it, expecting it would be like a cold.
Sad thing is, this has caused a spike in deaths of the elderly as they spread it (just like in the west) and they don't seem to realize they are not protected from the variants after doing this.

And elders are the group in China that is also undervaccinated.

 

[HangLow]

New COVID variant Arcturus XBB.1.16 may cause unusual symptoms in kids, docs say​

The XBB.1.16 Omicron subvariant is increasing, with anecdotal reports that it may be causing some unusual symptoms like pink eye. Here's what you need to know.

New COVID variant Arcturus XBB.1.16​

may cause unusual symptoms in kids, docs say​

There's a new COVID variant and it's causing 2 unusual symptoms in kids, docs say

The XBB.1.16 Omicron subvariant is increasing, with anecdotal reports that it may be causing some unusual symptoms like pink eye. Here's what you need to know.

www.today.com

April 26, 2023, 12:09 PM CDT / Updated May 9, 2023, 2:17 PM CDT / Source: TODAY By Caroline Kee

The Arcturus COVID-19 variant has arrived in the United States and is here to stay, according to experts. While it's unclear whether it will drive a summer surge, some doctors are warning that the variant may be causing an uptick in unusual COVID-19 symptoms.

The latest omicron subvariant, officially named XBB.1.16, was first detected in January. In recent months, social media users dubbed it "Arcturus" — which is the brightest star in the Northern celestial hemisphere — to the dismay of some health officials.

Last week, XBB.1.16 accounted for an estimated 12.5% of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. compared to about 10% the previous week, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It’s now being transmitted widely and is the second most common variant we’re seeing in the United States,” Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.
The emergence of XBB.1.16 comes as the world is reaching major pandemic milestones.

On May 5, the World Health Organization declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency and the Biden administration will let the U.S. COVID-19 public health emergency declaration expire on Thursday, May 11, 2023, TODAY.com previously reported.

 

[HangLow]

Arcturus, Omicron’s Offspring:​

Understanding the New COVID Variant XBB.1.16​

Arcturus, Omicron’s Offspring: Understanding the New COVID Variant XBB.1.16

The Arcturus variant of COVID-19, a subvariant of Omicron, has been identified in 34 countries, with India hardest hit. The variant's heightened transmissibility is likely due to its ability to evade immunity from vaccinations and prior infections. While there's no data on vaccine efficacy against A

scitechdaily.com

By MANAL MOHAMMED, UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER MAY 21, 2023

The Arcturus variant (XBB.1.16) of COVID-19, a subvariant of Omicron first identified in India, has now been detected in 34 countries including the UK. With its increased transmissibility likely due to its ability to evade immunity from vaccinations and prior infections, the variant has led to a surge in cases, especially in India. Despite constituting a minority of sequenced COVID infections, the UK Health Security Agency reports that Arcturus makes up 2.3% of sequences in the UK, while in the US it accounts for more than 10% of new confirmed cases.​

The Arcturus variant of COVID-19
First identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19, or Coronavirus disease 2019, (which was originally called "2019 novel coronavirus" or 2019-nCoV) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has spread globally, resulting in the 2019–22 coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19, a subvariant of Omicron, has been identified in 34 countries, with India hardest hit. The variant’s heightened transmissibility is likely due to its ability to evade immunity from vaccinations and prior infections.

While there’s no data on vaccine efficacy against Arcturus, it is not currently believed to be more severe than previous variants, and scientists are developing vaccines to counter such emerging strains.

A new COVID variant XBB.1.16, or “Arcturus,” has now been identified in at least 34 countries including the UK.

 

[HangLow]

China faces a new Covid wave that could peak at 65 million cases a week​

China faces a new Covid wave that could peak at 65 million cases a week

The country once had some of the harshest Covid restrictions on the planet, but the response from the government and the public is relatively muted this time.

www.nbcnews.com

The country once had some of the harshest Covid restrictions on the planet,
but the response from the government and the public is relatively muted this time.

​

China is bracing for a new wave of Covid-19 infections that could see as many as 65 million cases per week by the time the surge peaks at the end of June.

​

Commuters wearing masks during the morning rush hour in Beijing on Tuesday.Mark Schiefelbein / AP

May 25, 2023, 5:49 AM CDT By Janis Mackey Frayer and Jennifer Jett

BEIJING — China is bracing for a new wave of Covid infections that could see as many as 65 million cases per week by the time the surge peaks at the end of June.

It’s a startling prediction in a country, where the pandemic originated in late 2019, that only months ago had enforced some of the harshest Covid control protocols on the planet. Now, with the latest omicron variant, XBB, fueling a resurgence in cases, the response from China’s government and the public is muted at best.

The surge comes about six months after the country dismantled its sprawling infrastructure for dealing with Covid, including harsh lockdowns, mass testing, stifling quarantines, and strict mask requirements.

“People feel differently about this wave,” said Qi Zhang, 30, who works at a finance company in the northern city of Tianjin. “The last time, everyone was terrified, but now they don’t think it’s a big deal,” she told NBC News on Thursday.

 

[HangLow]

Covid deaths: Track the latest trends and fatality count

NBC News is tracking deaths from Covid-19 in the United States. These charts will be updated every Friday.

www.nbcnews.com

Covid deaths: Track the latest trends and current fatality count​

NBC News is tracking deaths from Covid-19 in the United States and around the world. These charts will be updated every Friday. Dec. 23, 2022, 9:17 AM CST / Updated June 2, 2023, 12:33 PM CDT

Three years into the Covid pandemic, hundreds of people are still dying of the disease every day.
NBC News is tracking the latest Covid death totals with data from the National Center for Health Statistics. These graphics will be updated every Friday.

Covid deaths have leveled out below 600 deaths a day since the omicron wave subsided in early 2022.

See the latest data on Covid hospitalizations and vaccinations, and follow all of NBC News’ Covid coverage.

 

[Ginger Ale]

Post pandemic.....Remember when there were old people........?

 

[HangLow]

Post pandemic.....
Remember when there were old people........?

A couple of things;
1..... Most GrandPa's and GrandMa's got their vaccinations...
2..... We are very selective in where we choose to go now... less crowds

There may be other reasons... Who Knows...
-Peace M'Lady

I am fully Vaxxed and Boosted, but still carry a mask and will wear it when out...

 

[Ginger Ale]

A couple of things;
1..... Most GrandPa's and GrandMa's got their vaccinations...
2..... We are very selective in where we choose to go now... less crowds

There may be other reasons... Who Knows...
-Peace M'Lady

I am fully Vaxxed and Boosted, but still carry a mask and will wear it when out...

Same.