BQ.1: The New COVID Variant

While BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. represent a small but fast-growing subset of the Omicron variant, BA.5 remains the dominant lineage in the US.

In the United States, the new variant BQ.1 now makes up one in 10 cases, revealed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated.

The CDC had previously bundled BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 with their shared parent BA.5 in its weekly "Nowcast" estimates.

Omicron Variant of COVID-19
Omicron variant is a mutated strain of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with faster transmissibility and enhanced virulence compared to the original COVID-19 virus.

‘BQ.1 COVID variant was first named by scientists in early September, based on sequences spotted across the US and several other countries.’

"When you get variants like that, you look at what their rate of increase is as a relative proportion of the variants, and this has a pretty troublesome doubling time," Dr Anthony Fauci, the US president’s chief medical adviser, told CBS News.

BQ.1: The New Omicron Sub-Variant

BQ.1 variants have already outpaced many rival strains in European nations from England to Germany, which have already seen renewed waves begin.

According to the CDC, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 each currently make up an estimated 5.7 per cent of infections around the country.

Experts have cited the "sizable number of unique mutations" in variants like BQ.1 in speculating that it could evade immunity from prior infections or vaccination.

Test your Knowledge on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus is a large positive-strand RNA virus that is surrounded by a protein envelope. The virus obtains its name from the S protein spikes on its surface, which resemble a crown. The overall pattern of increasing coronavirus cases is shown to spike up with the “second wave” of COVID-19.

With spiking effects of the second wave of coronavirus, the best way to keep it at bay is to follow COVID-appropriate safety practices like wearing a mask, regularly cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue along with physical distancing (6 feet about 2 arm's length), that may help evade the severity of COVID-19 infection.

"However, so far little is known about what impact these mutations might have in affecting the severity of the disease, which would require further studies in animals and humans," said the report.

Omicron's new 'BA.2.75.2' variant growing quickly in India
In South Africa a new sub-variant of COVID-19 Omicron called BA.2.75 has been detected. With South Africa having lifted all major COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

As China imposes fresh lockdowns and travel restrictions amid COVID surge, the country has detected new Omicron sub-variants BF.7 and BA.5.1.7, which are highly infectious with greater transmissibility.

Canada also confirmed 20,002 new COVID-19 cases for the week ending October 8, raising concerns over a resurgence, health authorities said.

Source-IANS

Black Pepper as Preventive Measure Against Omicron
Adding black pepper in the Kada may help render protection against the Omicron flu with the surge of the third wave of COVID-19.