A new case of the latest Covid-19 sub-variant has been reported in Thailand. The XBB.1.16.1.1 or “FU.1” is said to be 50% more transmissible than XBB.1.16, which is one of the dominant Omicron strains in the country.
The Center for Medical Genomics of Ramathibodi Hospital has posted on its Facebook page about the continuous mutation of the Omicron variant around the world. Currently, the dominant Omicron sub-variants are XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, and XBB.1.9.1, with the latter two being the dominant strains around the world including in Thailand.
According to reports, XBB.1.16 was found in 9,003 Covid-19 cases globally, while 139 cases were found in Thailand. XBB.1.16.1, was discovered in 2,714 cases worldwide and 26 cases in the country. XBB.1.16.2 was detected in 666 cases globally and 25 domestically, while XBB.1.16.3 was found in 175 cases around the world while five cases were found in Thailand.
The center said that one of the latest strains, FU.1, is reported to be widespread in Shanghai, with 122 cases reported worldwide and one case found in Thailand. The strain is reported to be 50 percent more transmissible than XBB.1.16 and could be one of the dominant sub-variants in the future. Public health officials will keep a close watch on this strain and other sub-variants to control and prevent the number of cases from increasing in the country. (NNT)
