Ómicron BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants represent almost half of the cases in the US

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated this Friday that the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants of omicron They accounted for almost half of the Covid-19 cases in the country during the week ending November 18, compared to 39.5% the week before.

The proportion of the two mutations, descendants of the BA.5 subvariant of omicronhas increased to 49.7% of coronavirus variants in circulation, about two months after their initial detection.

BQ.1.1 made up nearly 24.2% of circulating variants and BQ.1 is estimated to have made up 25.5% of circulating cases in the week of November 18, according to the CDC.

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control noted that there is as yet no evidence that the BQ.1 variant is linked to increased severity compared to the circulating BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants, but cautioned that it could bypass some immune protection, citing laboratory studies conducted in Asia.

New variants are closely watched by regulators and vaccine manufacturers in case they start to evade the protection offered by current vaccines.

The BA.5 subvariant that drove Covid-19 cases earlier in the year is estimated to account for 24% of cases, up from almost 33.8% in the week ending November 12.