MIAMI, United States. — Authorities of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) in Sancti Spíritus have confirmed the circulation in that province of a new variant of omicron, called XBB1 by experts, reported the newspaper Escambray.
In statements offered to that medium, Dr. Manuel Rivero Abella, provincial director of Health, assured that the new variant is neither more deadly nor more lethal than the others, but that it requires the application of responsible hygienic measures.
“We are facing another variant, but with the same characteristics. We don’t have to worry, although we do have to take care of ourselves,” the expert told that official medium.
Among the measures recommended by Rivero Abella are “frequent hand washing, the use of a mask, especially in large concentrations of people and in the presence of respiratory symptoms.”
Escambray highlights that the XBB1 variant, which has the same clinical manifestations as the previous ones, began to circulate in Europe and has been introduced in several provinces of the Island due to trade and tourism.
Manuel Rivero Abella told the provincial media that 16 other respiratory viruses are circulating along with XBB1 and warned that some of them cause important clinical manifestations, such as fever, arthralgia, headache, among others.
“Not everything that is circulating is COVID-19there are other viruses that give more symptoms, ”said the specialist.
“As an omicron variant, it has the same behavior: it is transmitted from person to person, which is why we recommend that you wear a mask, but it is not a standard at this time, nor is it indicated by the Ministry of Public Health,” added the MINSAP director. .
Likewise, Rivero Abella highlighted the effectiveness of Cuban vaccines against the new variant.
“One of the objectives of our vaccine, in addition to the fact that its efficacy is recognized, is that the behavior of these variants is like a common cold and that is how this variant is behaving: it is not lethal, nor is it transmitted much more.”
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