According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), two new COVID 19 variants have been identified, the BQ.1 and XBB.
From 1,086 global samples, 639 were submitted by Singapore and is suspected to be the main reason for recent COVID-19 spikes within that region.
Dr Meera Chand, Director of Clinical and Emerging Infection at UKHSA, said:
It is not unexpected to see new variants of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. Neither BQ.1 nor XBB have been designated as variants of concern and UKHSA is monitoring the situation closely, as always.
Vaccination remains our best defence against future COVID-19 waves, so it is still as important as ever that people come take up all the doses for which they are eligible as soon as possible.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/
covid-19-variants-identified-in-the-uk-latest-updates
