A new Covid variant is linked to one in 25 cases in the UK, according to reports. Doctors have warned that the XXB.1.5 form is a 'wake-up call' for the country.
Already causing concerns in the USA, XXB.1.5 is projected to make up 40.5% of Covid-19 cases nationally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The strain is believed to have mutations which allow it infect people more easily and dodge immunity.
The new variant could also pile more pressure on an already overstretched NHS as winter continues and health services battle increasing cases of the flu, experts have warned. However, there is no indication the XBB.1.5 strain causes more severe illness than previous variants, reports the Manchester Evening News.
