Arcturus Is Here: What You Need to Know About the Newest Omicron Subvariant
One case has been detected so far.
(SPOT.ph) The Philippines has detected its first case of Arcturus, a new omicron subvariant that can evade immunity and is said to be more transmissible, the Department of Health said Wednesday, April 26.
The first detected case of Arcturus, scientific name XBB.1.16, was found in Iloilo, the Department of Health (DOH) said. The person was asymptomatic and has recovered.
Arcturus is classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization, meaning it was identified to have a growth advantage over other variants and is being monitored for its spread globally.
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What you need to know about the omicron subvariant Arcturus
Its name, Arcturus, is a Latin word derived from the Greek word "arktouros," which means "bear watcher." In astrology, it's the brightest star in the constellation Boötes.
It was first reported on January 9, and became a variant under monitoring on March 22.
By April 17, it was designated as a variant of interest after it was detected in 33 countries across six continents, with most of its cases recorded in India, followed by the U.S., Singapore, Australia, Canada, Brunei, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
While it's currently driving COVID-19 surges in India, World Health Organization (WHO) said its overall risk assessment is low.
"Available evidence does not suggest that XBB.1.16 has additional public health risks relative to the other currently circulating Omicron descendent lineages," WHO said in its initial risk assessment report.
In the Philippines, COVID-19 cases are on a "slow, upward trend" but intensive care unit (ICU) admissions are plateauing, DOH said. It also reminded the public to keep wearing protection against the coronavirus, isolating when sick, and ensuring there's good airflow, especially in public areas.
"Most importantly, the public is advised to get vaccinated and boosted as vaccination remains to be the most effective and best long-term protection against the COVID-19 virus."
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