Uruguay detects two new sub-variants of omicron
Montevideo, The Gulf Observer: The presence of two new sub-variants of the omicron variant of the coronavirus is confirmed in Uruguay, in the midst of a wave that has skyrocketed cases, the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) reported Wednesday.
“The Public Health Laboratory Department-Epidemiology Division has recently detected the low-frequency presence of two new Ómicron sublineages: XBB.1 and DL.1,” said a statement from the MSP.
The health entity recalled in its statement that “the predominant variant globally continues to be Omicron and that viruses change over time, including SARS-CoV-2”, that is, the virus that causes the disease of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
“Some of these changes can influence their behavior, such as their ease of spread, the severity of the disease, so the population is reminded of the importance of maintaining prevention measures and the recommendation to complete vaccination according to the Plan National in force,” added the text.
The Minister of Public Health, Daniel Salinas, wrote this Wednesday on his Twitter account that “to the already circulating sublineages” in Uruguay that are B.4, B.5 and Bq1, the detection of XBB.1 and DL is added. 1, that they are “all Omicron variants” and that “could be part of the current increase in cases.”
Uruguay reported on December 26 8,216 new cases of the COVID-19 registered in the week of December 18 to 24, 66 percent more than the 4,941 of the previous week, according to the weekly report of the MSP.
Last week there were 10 deaths diagnosed with corona virus while active cases stood at 7,631 and the percentage of intensive care beds occupied by patients from the COVID-19 it was 1.7 percent.
