The Latest Breaking News from GISAID

Should we be worried about ‘Stratus’? The new Covid variant spreading fast

‘Stratus’ is the nickname for Covid variant XFG which is spreading across the world

The Independent UK · Jul 9, 2025

XFG could become the next dominant COVID variant. Here’s what to know about ‘Stratus’

Given the number of times this has happened already, it should come as little surprise that we’re now faced with yet another new subvariant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID.

The Conversation · Jul 8, 2025

Can AI model detect fresh waves of COVID infection?

An artificial intelligence (AI) model can predict which variants of the COVID-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus will likely bring about fresh waves of the infection, new research has found. The team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, and The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Israel, analysed 9 SARS-CoV-2 million genetic sequences across 30…

The Times of India · Jan 5, 2024

Raccoon dogs emerge as possible COVID-19 source in new analysis

MELBOURNE, Australia — New data linking COVID-19 to raccoon dogs in a Wuhan wet market provides “important incremental evidence” supporting the hypothesis that the virus originated in wildlife, according to a scientist who has studied the genesis of the pandemic in China.

Tribune News Service · Mar 17, 2023

New data links Covid-19’s origins to raccoon dogs at Wuhan market

Analysis of gene sequences by international team finds Covid-positive samples rich in raccoon dog DNA

The Guardian - UK · Mar 17, 2023

Could China's COVID-19 outbreak lead to the next variant of concern? Experts say it's not time to panic yet

With China's latest COVID-19 outbreak growing amid doubts about the reliability of official figures, there are concerns about whether it could provide the perfect conditions for a new variant of concern to emerge.

ABC News · Jan 8, 2023

EXPLAINER: Is China sharing enough COVID-19 information?

As COVID-19 rips through China, other countries and the World Health Organization are calling on its government to share more comprehensive data

The Independent UK · Jan 6, 2023

How serious is the threat of new Covid-19 variants?

A surge in cases after China lifted restrictions has sparked concerns that a dangerous new strain could emerge

Financial Times · Jan 5, 2023

Why China's Covid Wave is Stirring Fear

China is experiencing a huge Covid-19 surge after years of hardline containment restrictions were dismantled last month. A growing number of countries are worried about a lack of data and transparency surrounding China's outbreak, AFP said. Here is why it is sparking concern: - Unreliable data - Beijing has admitted…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Jan 3, 2023

COVID-19-mutation risk drives rush to test travelers from China

COVID-19 testing requirements for passengers traveling from China highlight mounting concerns about the potential for undetected new strains of the virus spawned by the country’s burgeoning outbreak.

Tribune News Service · Dec 31, 2022