The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) this Thursday classified recombinant strains of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus as variants of interest, warning of increased spread and transmission of Covid-19 in Europe.
“ECDC classified all XBB.1.5-like strains with an additional F456L amino acid change as variants of interest. This is due to the rapid increase in the proportion of these variants currently in circulation, which may have immunity evasion properties compared to previously circulating variants,” the public agency said in a press release released today.
Without specifying, the European Center refers to “increased transmission of COVID-19 in the EU/EEA”. [União Europeia/Espaço Económico Europeu] and abroad, after months of very low infection rates”, currently showing no “signs of an increase in hospitalizations or pressure on healthcare systems”.
“Based on what is observed in countries outside the EU/EEA, it is likely that F456L variants will contribute to increased transmission in the coming weeks. However, levels are unlikely to reach previous peaks seen during the covid-19 pandemic and just as unlikely that F456L variants are associated with either an increase in the severity of the infection compared to previously circulating variants or with reduced vaccine efficacy against severe disease.
As with other variants of SARS-CoV-2, older people and those with underlying medical conditions can develop severe symptoms if they are infected, ECDC recalls.
For this reason, the European Agency is calling on Member States of the European Union to expand the use of covid-19 vaccines and to report population surveillance data in primary and secondary health care in order to monitor transmission trends in a timely manner.
“Adherence to national vaccination schedules is essential to protect people at high risk of serious illness and death. Countries should assess their availability to identify target groups and timely conduct vaccination campaigns against covid-19,” ECDC urges.
The position comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned last week that the EG.5 strain of SARS-CoV-2, classified as of interest, could cause an increase in the incidence and become dominant in some countries. or even in the world.
The EG.5 strain was first reported to WHO in February and was identified as a variant under surveillance in mid-July.
The EG.5 strain has an additional F456L amino acid mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (a coronavirus surface protein that binds to human cells) compared to the recombinant XBB.1.9.2 strain from which it originated and the recombinant XBB subline. 1.5, both Omicron variants.
Covid-19 is a respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, a type of virus discovered in late 2019 in China and rapidly spreading around the world, taking on several variants and subvariants, some of which are more contagious than others.
As of March 11, 2020, Covid-19 is a pandemic. Last May, it ceased to be an international public health emergency.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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