The XBB.1.5 mutant, a descendant of the Omicron strain originally mutated from the novel coronavirus, has been of concern to scientists and the public. And while South Africa announced yesterday (Sunday), that it had discovered the first infection with this mutant in its lands; China has not yet announced its presence in any of the country's provinces, although China is witnessing an exacerbation of its health crisis since its abandonment of the "zero Covid" strategy measures, which was completed yesterday by opening the door to travel for Chinese in and out, and to and from Hong Kong. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Friday) reported that this variant now accounts for 72% of new infections in the northeastern states, and 27.6% of new infections across the United States. XBB.1.5 has sparked concern around the globe, after WHO's technical director for combating COVID-@DIGITS, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhov, announced last Wednesday that this variant is the fastest spreading of the COVID-@DIGITS strains discovered so far. Belgian biological evolutionist Tom Wenslers told the New York Times yesterday that he expects this variant to spread widely, and it is likely that it will push a new wave of infections.
A number of scientists have expressed fears that the outbreak of this mutant during the winter, when friends and relatives gather in closed places in search of warmth, will lead to an exacerbating crisis, especially for those who refuse to undergo the updated stimulus dose of Covid-19 vaccines, who fear that if they are infected, it will lead to severe infections. The injury could lead to their hypnosis, or possibly their death. Health officials say the updated booster dose from Covid vaccines could provide a fair amount of protection against XBB.1.5 and any variant it may be descended from. The global epidemic control coordinator at the White House, Dr. Ashish Jha, said that the Paxlovid drug is very effective in combating infection with this variant, but an increasing number of scientists and specialists in controlling epidemics and infectious diseases have warned that the Covid tragedy will not stop at XBB.1.5, and that it will not be the last chapter. In the tragedy of the global epidemic. They said, they do not rule out that XBB. 1.5 will give birth to a mutant that may acquire genetic characteristics that make it more capable of rapid outbreaks. Some of them stated that they do not rule out that XBB.1.5 has already given birth to a mutant that may be active in transmitting its infection to humanity. However, many governments' refusal to decode the genetic sequence of new infection samples may not allow the presence of the supposed mutant to be detected.
And scientists had discovered the biological evolution of the XBB. They noticed that whenever the mutant clones itself inside the cells of the infected person, its genetic material changes dramatically. Thus, a "hybrid" mutant appears, carrying the genetic material of both strains. Therefore, those interested in virus monitoring called it XBB. They explained that this mixing occurs frequently in new Corona viruses. One of the observations that caught the attention of virologists was that the mutants that resulted from the mixing of the genetic material of two strains were fading within weeks or months, and were unable to compete with other mutants. However, XBB is something completely different; As it derived from one of the two strains that gave birth to mutations that made it able to avoid the effectiveness of antibodies derived from vaccination with Covid vaccines, and from the immunity resulting from recovering from a previous infection. And it acquires from the other strain genetic modifications that increase its ability to ignore the immune system. And Professor Thomas Peacock, a virologist at Imperial College London, said that the XBB picked up from the two strains that gave birth to the largest possible number of genetic mutations.
Other scientists point out that XBB also paid a heavy price for its ability to evade the immune system. Genetic mutations allow them to evade antibodies by changing the shape of the protein on their surface, which looks like nails. But these mutations make it difficult for that protein to stick firmly to the human cell, which is the first step in the infection process. These scientists believe that this weak ability to adhere to cells reduced the ability of XBB compared to other strains. XBB caused a wave of infections in Singapore in October 2022, with little outbreak in other parts of the world. During the same month, New York City health authorities discovered the XBB.1.5 mutant.
The Chinese get a taste of travel…without restrictions
On Saturday, China opened the doors to domestic and foreign travel, crowding airports and train stations with large numbers of people eager to enjoy the Chinese New Year holidays, which will officially begin on January 21. This is the first time that this occasion has taken place without travel restrictions since the outbreak of the new Corona virus in 2019. Opening the doors to travel to the Chinese is the latest manifestation of what is known as the “Zero Covid” strategy, which the Chinese authorities adhered to to eliminate the spread of the global epidemic. . And the Chinese Ministry of Transport announced (Friday) that it expects the number of travelers during this occasion to reach two billion people during the next 40 days. Analysts considered this travel step very important for the recovery of the Chinese economy, which has a size of 17 trillion dollars. However, a large number of Chinese said that they would not leave their homes, for fear that the stampede in trains and airports would lead to their infection with the virus. Observers warned that the workers' willingness to travel from cities to their villages could lead to a major outbreak of COVID-19 in the countryside, which suffers from a lack of health equipment, especially its lack of intensive care beds and beds equipped with respirators. The Chinese authorities said that they have opened more of what they call "fever clinics" in rural areas, in preparation for any possible health emergency. She added that it provided a "green channel" that allows the urgent transfer of elderly people with chronic diseases to urban hospitals capable of caring for them if they contract the virus. Yesterday (Sunday) China opened its borders with Hong Kong. As of Sunday, the abolition of the requirement for sanitary isolation for those coming from abroad has also been implemented. Europeans hope that a large number of Chinese tourists will go to their countries. Yesterday, the British newspaper "Daily Telegraph" described them as "with deep pockets," referring to their high ability to spend on tourism. Yesterday, Chinese people in Hong Kong said that they had stood in waiting lines for a period of no less than an hour and a half to conduct the Corona examination, which is required as a result to enter most other countries, with the exception of China. And 4 Chinese ministries stated in press releases yesterday that they have provided sufficient funding, so that the state will bear 60% of the cost of treating Covid-19 until March 31, 2023.
Okaz (London) @OKAZ_online