New Covid-19 XFG strain spreads rapidly, infecting 23 in Thailand; South-East Asia on alert
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): The new Covid-19 strain XFG is spreading rapidly, with 23 confirmed cases in Thailand, the Department of Medical Sciences reported late on Saturday.
Yongyos Thammawut, the department's director-general, made the announcement following the World Health Organisation's designation of the XFG variant as a 'variant under monitoring' on June 25, due to its high transmissibility and increased ability to evade immunity.
According to media reports, the recent development has also put the neighbouring countries in South-East Asia on alert.
However, Yongyos noted that there is currently no evidence indicating that XFG causes more severe symptoms than other variants. XFG is a sub-lineage of Omicron, resulting from a recombination of strains LF.7 and LP.8.1.2. It was first detected on January 27.
'The variant has additional mutations on the spike protein, which may enhance its transmissibility and immune evasion,' he explained.
Yongyos added that the global prevalence of XFG is steadily increasing, although the NB.1.8.1 strain remains the dominant variant worldwide despite a declining trend.
In Thailand, the XFG strain was first detected in April. As of now, 23 cases have been reported. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
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