Covid, Iss: in Italy 7 cases of new Xbb variant

There are seven cases of Covid in Italy linked to the Xbb sub-variant, according to the data of the report of the Higher Institute of Health updated to 20 October. On the Icogen platform there are 7 sequences of these Omicron recombinants, 2 belonging to the Xbb lineage and 5 to the Xbb.1 sub-lineage. Largely dominant is still Omicron 5 (94.4%), followed by Omicron 4 (3.7%) and Omicron 2 (1.9%).

Already renamed Gryphon, Xbb is a recombinant of Ba.2.10.1 and Ba.2.75, with 14 additional mutations in the Spike protein of Ba.2, and is highly contagious.