Arcturus, formally known as XBB.1.16, accounts for 14.6 percent of U.S. cases, According to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) variant tracker.
Since first being detected in New York in January, XBB.1.16 cases have now been reported in 33 countries, According to WHOand 31 states in the United States.
Arcturus has the highest number of cases reported in New York, New Jersey and California.
The most commonly reported symptoms associated with XBB.1.16 are:
- high fever,
- cough,
- “Itchy” conjunctivitis, or pink eye.
according to arMayo Clinic report on Arcturus.
Arcturus has sparked a surge in cases in India, prompting WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, Maria Van Kerkhove, to say “it’s a concern” at a recent news conference about the new variant.
“It has an additional mutation in the spike protein, and in laboratory studies, it has shown increased infectivity and potentially increased pathogenicity.
Van Kerkhove added: “One of the big uncertainties we face going forward is the virus itself. It hasn’t formed a predictable pattern. It continues to evolve.”
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