The latest Covid variant to cause concern among health officials is believed to beat existing vaccines as it spreads through the US, UK and China.
According to scientists, the new Covid variant is likely in a number of additional countries and is causing concern as it appears to be spreading rapidly.
The new Omicron subvariant has been named ‘Orthrus,’ after a two-headed dog from Greek mythology.
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The last variant that caught headlines was codenamed ‘Kraken,’ which is a ‘seabeast’ from northern European legends.
Orthrus, known scientifically as CH 1.1, has been found to have a mutation that was found in the Delta strain of Covid - which could be helping it beat the vaccines.
The mutation - which increases the virus's ability to defeat vaccines - was not found in Omicron.
It has been detected in 66 countries including the USA, Thailand, India, China and Australia as well as in the UK. It has not yet been detected in Ireland, but will likely find its way here in a matter of weeks - as the past variants have.
According to UK reports, the two - Kraken and Orthrus - make up 40% of all Covid cases in the UK, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
The latest figures show Covid cases continue to fall in the UK - but not among school-aged children.
But researchers at Ohio State University said Orthrus's ability to evade immunity is 'extraordinary'.
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