The SARS-CoV-2 Variants Alert Network, coordinated by the Butantan Institute, detected the presence, for the first time in Brazil, of two new strains of the Ômicron strain, of the virus that causes covid-19: XBB.1 and CK.2.1.1. The announcement was made today (17). They were found in exams carried out between October 16th and November 5th in the cities of São Paulo and Ribeirão Preto.
According to Butantan, the sample of XBB.1 has already been detected in 35 countries. The institute points out that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is preliminary evidence to suggest that it may carry a greater risk of reinfection, compared to other sublines of Omicron. The CK.2.1.1 sample was only identified in Germany, United States, Denmark, Spain and Austria.
For the specialist of the Genomic Surveillance Network of the Butantan Institute, Alex Ranieri, it is still too early to say whether the new variants represent a danger to the population or are more resistant to vaccines.
“There is no data on severe cases or immune escape [capacidade de escapar dos anticorpos criados pelas infecções anteriores] reported. It is likely that the additional mutations have brought about some transmission and immune escape advantage over other Omicron sublines, but this needs to be investigated”, he explained.
